94 THE BLUE JAY BABY. 



curious young bird ! He was noticed by the 

 farmer's boy, chased into a corner, still out of 

 breath from his first flight, then caught, thrust 

 into an old canary cage, brought to the house, 

 and given to the bird-student. 



Poor little creature ! he was dumb with fright, 

 though he was not motionless. He beat himself 

 against the wires and thrust his beak through 

 the openings, in vain efforts to escape. We 

 looked at him with great interest, but we had 

 not the heart to keep him very long. In a few 

 minutes he was taken out of the cage in a hand 

 (which he tried to bite), carried to the door and 

 set free. 



Away like a flash went the little boy blue 

 and alighted in a tree beside the house. For a 

 few moments he panted for breath, and then he 

 opened his mouth to tell the news to whom it 

 might concern. In rapid succession he uttered 

 half a dozen jay-baby squawks, rested a mo- 

 ment, then repeated them, hopping about the 

 tree in great excitement. 



In less than thirty seconds his cries were 

 answered. A blue jay appeared on the barn; an- 

 other was seen in a spruce close by; three came 

 to a tall tree across the road; and from near 

 and far we heard the calls of friends trooping to 

 the rescue. 



Meanwhile the birds of the neighborhood, 



