384 HABITS OF THE AMERICAN BLUE JAY. 



adapted for imitation, and there is hardly a bird of the forest whose voice is not mocked 

 by the Jay with a fidelity that even deceives the species whose notes are thus wonderfully 

 reproduced. Being a bird of some humour, it is greatly delighted by mimicking the 

 scream of a hawk, and the terrified cry of a little bird in distress, thereby setting all the 

 small birds in a turmoil, under the impression that one of their number has just been 

 carried off by a hawk. 



The Blue Jay attacks owls whenever he meets with them, and never can see a hawk 

 without giving the alarm, and rushing to the attack, backed up by other Jays, who never 

 fail to offer their assistance to their comrade. Often they will assemble in some numbers, 

 and buffet the unfortunate hawk with such relentless perseverance that they fairly drive 

 him out of the neighbourhood ; but sometimes the tables are reversed, and the hawk, 

 turning suddenly on his persecutors, snaps up the foremost and boldest, and silently sails 

 away into the thickest covert, bearing his screaming prey in his talons. 



As the Blue Jay is very fond of fruit and seeds, it often does great harm to the 

 agriculturist, robbing his fruit-trees in a very complete and systematic manner, and doing 

 no small amount of harm to the crops. Yet the bird is not without its use, for in 

 replenishing its winter stores, which consist of nuts, mast, chestnuts, and similar 

 provisions, the Jay drops many of them in its passage, and thus unconsciously succeeds 

 in planting many a useful tree. One careful observer of this bird and its habits says 

 that in a few years' time the Jays alone would replant all the cleared lands. 



The diet of the Jay is, however, by no means restricted to vegetable substances, as the 

 bird lives more upon animal than on vegetable food. In the spring and early summer, 

 young birds form a large portion of its sustenance, and it robs many a nest of its eggs, or 

 even when pressed by hunger makes an attack on the parent bird. 



In captivity, the Blue Jay is equally mischievous with its European relative, being 

 attracted by anything that glitters or that he thinks is valued by its owner, and hiding it 

 in some of his especial treasure-houses. He will also learn to talk, and becomes very 

 proud of his accomplishment, displaying his newly-acquired talents to every one who will 

 listen, and being extremely loquacious when excited by the presence of several persons at 

 the same time. If kindly treated, the Blue Jay becomes very affectionate to its owner, 

 and can even be taught to live in loving communion with creatures whom it would in 

 a wild state immediately devour. One of these birds, kept for some time by Wilson, was 

 on terms of intimate friendship with one of the Baltimore orioles, and would permit her to 

 take all kinds of liberties, such as pulling its whiskers, jumping into the water and 

 splashing it whenever it desired to drink. 



The nest of the Blue Jay is large, and rather clumsily made, and is placed in a lofty 

 branch of some tall tree, the cedar being in principal request for this office. It is lined 

 with fine fibrous roots, and contains four or five eggs of a dull olive, spotted with brown. 

 The male bird is very cautious in his approaches to the nest, always gliding secretly and 

 silently to the spot where his mate and young have made their home, carrying with him 

 the results of his foraging expedition. 



Much more might be said of' this bird, but its character has been so well described by 

 Webber in a few graphic passages, that I should do it injustice, were not his account to be 

 presented in his own words. 



" See him of a fine spring morning in love-making time ! See him rise up and down 

 upon the mossy limb, his gay crest bent in quick and frequent salutation, while a rich, 

 round, thrilling love-note rolls liquidly from off his honeyed tongue. Then see him spring 

 in air with his wide wings, azure and white, and dark-barred, graceful tail, spread to the 

 admiring gaze of her he woos, float round and round her fairer form, then to return again 

 in rapturous fervour to her side, to overwhelm his glowing charms with yet more 

 subduing graces. 



But the fun of it all is, to see our euphuist practising these seductive arts by himself. 

 You will often catch him alone, thus making love to his own beauty with an ardour fully 

 equal to that of the scene we have just described ; indeed, I am not sure that it does not 

 surpass it ; for, like other dandies, he is most in love with his own beauty. It is the 



