324 



PERCHERS AND SINGERS 



marauder, it is only his audacity which saves him from exter- 

 mination. Externally, he is really a beautiful bird, but his 

 voice is strident and unmusical. 



Beside his harsh "Jay," a crow is a sweet songster. He 

 will take your cherries right before your eyes, and then scold 



BLUE-JAY. 



you roundly for not looking pleasant about it! He robs the 

 nests of other birds, eating eggs or young, whichever may be 

 there; and to that extent he is a pest. During the closed 

 season on eggs and young nestlings, he lives on insects until 

 berries and small fruits ripen. If Jays were as numerous as 

 English sparrows, it would be necessary to reduce their num- 

 ber; but they are not so numerous or so destructive that we 

 need to attack them. 



STELLER'S JAY 1 is one of the handsomest birds of the 

 moist and dark forest region of the Pacific coast, which ex- 



1 Cy-an-o-cit'ta stel'ler-i. Length, 12.50 inches. 



