THE BLUE JAY. 109 



The gunner now fires at the Jay in revenge for such 

 a provocation, but generally without effect, for the 

 cunning bird takes care not to give the alarm until he 

 is well on the wing. 



This bird is seldom silent, unless he has some secret, 

 or some mischievous object in view. While the female 

 is sitting on her nest, the male visits her only in the 

 most secret manner. He never, on these occasions, 

 makes the least noise, while near her, probably because 

 he is afraid the nest will be robbed, in the same man- 

 ner that he has many a time robbed those of other 

 birds. When he pays a plundering visit to the barn 

 yard or corn field, he is also silent and secret, until he 

 happens to be discovered, when he screams out in 

 triumph, and instantly makes his escape. 



Mr. Wilson says that this bird is not only bold and 

 vociferous, but possesses a considerable talent at 

 mimicry, and seems to enjoy great satisfaction in 

 mocking and teasing the little hawk, imitating his cry 

 whenever he sees him, and squealing out as if caught. 

 This soon brings a number of his own kind about him, 

 who all join in the frolic, darting at the hawk, and imi- 

 tating the cries of a bird sorely wounded, and already 

 in the clutches of the devourer. But this ludicrous 

 farce often ends in the destruction of one of the actors ; 

 for the hawk, after bearing these insults for a time, 

 singles out one of the most noisy and provoking, and 

 at one swoop brings him to the ground. The cry of 

 distress, instead of being a mockery, now becomes 

 real, all the Jays at the same time changing their tone 

 into loud screams, to give notice of the disaster. The 

 hawk, mean time, being sure of his prey, eats it at his 

 leisure. 



