110 THE JAY. 



he approach of cattle, to s<Jt a Cur-Dog upon them, by whistling and 

 calling him by his name. One winter, during a severe frost, the Dog wa 

 by this means excited to attack a Cow, that was big with Calf; when the- 

 poor animal fell on the ice, and was much hurt. The Jay was com- 

 plained of as a nuisance, and its owner was obliged to destroy it. 



The young Jays continue with the old ones till the next pairing 

 time ; they then choose each its mate, and separate, in order to pro- 

 duce a new progeny. The old birds, when enticing their fledged 

 foung ones to follow them, make a noise not unlike the mewing of 

 a Cat. 



These birds feed in general on acorns, nuts, seeds, and fruit ; and 

 in summer they are often found injurious to gardens, from their 

 devouring peas and cherries. Mr. Wallis, in his Natural History of 

 Northumberland, says, " They come two or three together out of 

 the wood into my little garden at Simonburn, in the raspberry and 

 gooseberry season, and can hardly be frightened away; in loud 

 clamors, from tree to tree, proclaiming it (as it were) to be their own 

 property." 



So habitual is the sentinel cry of alarm, and so expressive, that al 

 the birds within call, as well as other wild animals, are instantly OD 

 the alert, so that the fowler and hunter become generally disappointed 

 of their game by his garrulence and noisy propensity; he is there- 

 fore for his petulance, frequently killed without pity or profit, a 

 his flesh, though eaten, has but little to recommend it. His more 

 complaisant notes, when undisturbed, though guttural and echoing, 

 are by no means unpleasant, and fall in harmoniously with the 

 cadence of the feathered choristers around him, so as to form a finish- 

 trig part to the general music of the grove. His accents of blandish- 

 ment, when influenced by the softer passions, are low and musical, 

 BO as to be scarcely heard beyond the thick branches where he sits 

 concealed ; but, as soon as discovered, he bursts .out into notes of 

 rage and reproach, accompanying his voice by jerks and actions of 

 temerity and defiance. Indeed the Jay of Europe, with whom our 

 beau agrees entirely in habits, is so irrascible and violent in his 

 movements, as sometimes to strangle himself in the narrow fork of a 

 branch from which he has been found suspended. 



In times of scarcity he falls upon carrion, and has been known to 

 venture into the barn, through accidental openings ; when as if sensi- 

 ble of the danger of purloining, he is active and silent, and if sur- 

 prised, postponing his garrulity, he retreats with noiseless precipita 

 tion, and with all the cowardice of a thief. The worst trait of his 

 appetite, however, is his relish for the eggs of other birds, in quest of 

 ffhich he may frequently be seen prowling, and with a savage cruelty 

 he sometimes also devours the callow young, spreading the plaint of 

 Borrow and alarm wherever he flits. The whole neighboring com- 

 munity of little birds, assembled at the cry of distress, sometimes, 

 however, succeed in driving off the ruthless plunderer, who not 

 always content with the young, has been seen to attack the old> 

 though with dubious success ; but to the gallant and quarrelsome 

 King-bird, he submits like a c ward, and driven to seek shelter, even 



