168 CANADA JAY. 



fall of snow during the night and the ground was covered with a white mantle. The 

 early morning found me following an old logging road through the woods. The branches 

 of the trees which met over my head were bending with the weight of snow that lay 

 upon them, while the smaller undergrowth was completely enshrouded. Thus I was entire- 

 ly surrounded by masses of glittering white which not only prevented my seeing the sky 

 overhead, but also excluded any extended view on either hand. I was some miles from 

 the nearest settlement; thus not a living thing was in sight and not a sound broke the 

 stillness, when at once I was somewhat startled by hearing a most peculiar note. A few 

 days before, two of us had chased a lynx through this very section and I was certain 

 that the noise was made by one of those animals for it was a kind of mew not unlike that 

 given by the wild cat. This sound was repeated several times, followed by a low mur- 

 muring and, as I remained perfectly quiet, the author of these peculiar notes approached 

 nearer when I was enable to discover that it was a Caimda Jay. Then another appeared 

 and still another until I was surrounded by quite a flock of them. They were all vocifer- 

 ateing loudly as if surprised at seeing a human being in such a lonely spot but they were 

 not in the least shy as they came within a few feet of my head in order to examine me 

 critically. I have always found these birds tame in the section remote from settlements 

 but in the more cultivated districts they soon become wild. Thus I found them very 

 difficult to approach at Bethel, Maine, where they occur in winter and where they are 

 frequently shot. 



This latter named point is about their southern range in winter, but on one occasion 

 I saw an individual in Newtonville. This was in early summer some four years ago and 

 I was walking through the streets of the village accompanied by a friend, when I observed 

 a bird flying over a vacant lot pursued by two or three Robins. It was flying very slow- 

 ly as if weary and, coming directly toward us, alighted panting on the sidewalk with- 

 in a few yards of our feet. I instantly went forward and recognised it as a Canada Jay. 

 The poor bird was so completely dazed with fright, that I nearly caught it in my hands, 

 but, as I stooped to take it up, it flew into a neighboring garden taking refuge in some 

 ornamental evergreens where we followed and endeavored to capture it; but it always elud- 

 ed our grasp then, after recovering somewhat, flew away over some house tops and was lost 

 to our view. How this stranger came so far from its home, especially during such warm 

 summer weather, remains an unsolved mystery, nor did I ever hear of this particular Jay 

 again. 



In comparing the flight of the three Jays of which I have spoken, I find that that of 

 the Blue Jays is the strongest, and they frequently fly long distances; the Florida Jays 

 are inclined to sail more, especially when moving across a short space and they seldom go 

 far at one time; while the Canada Jays are the poorest flyers of them all usually sailing 

 about through the trees and seldom leaving the woods in order to taking a prolonged flight. 

 They are very agile among the trees, however, hopping from limb to limb with great ra- 

 pidity and when anxious to conceal themselves will manage to accomplish it in an exceed- 

 in^ly short time. They are said to breed in February placing their nests in evergreen 

 trees, thus the young appear in early spring. 



