2 6+ AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



THE BLUE JAY SURGEON, 



Someone aptly says; — 



"Our crested Jay with all his beauty 

 Has neither sense of right nor duty." 



And farther on; — 



"Wherever he assumes his station 

 He is master of the situation.", 



The writer was evidently acquainted with the Blue Jay in all his 

 moods and variations. Some years ago a young student of Blackstone 

 had in his possession a beautiful Blue Jay. During the day time Jack, 

 for that was his name, had free range of the ofBce, and amused many 

 callers with his cute, saucy tricks. At one time his master was the pos- 

 sesser of a fine carbuncle, located on the back of his neck, that gave him 

 great pain, so that he was forced to discard collar and tie, wearing only a 

 silk handkerchief about his neck. One morning even that became un- 

 bearable, and doffing coat, vest and "kerchief" he sat down at his desk 

 and was soon deeply engrossed in his reading. 



Jack had been fed and let out from his cage and was now busily en- 

 gaged in looking about for some mischief. As was often his custom 

 when flying about the room, he alighted on the back of his master's 

 chair, and began to call, hoping to arrest his attention; but the student 

 was so busily engaged in his reading, that either he did not hear Jack 

 or did not want to. Finally Jack spied the fine carbuncle on the 

 back of his master's neck, and hopping on his shoulder, began a tour 

 of inspection. 



He viewed it from first one side, then the other, then from the back 

 of the chair, but seemed to arrive at no definite conclusion. Finally, 

 cocking his head on one side, he communed with himself thusly: "I 

 think it's a carbuncle. It's just in prime condition, why don't he have 

 it lanced? Ah, I know. It's because he can't see it. No man has 

 eyes in the back of his head. I guess I will do the job myself." Hop- 

 ping around to the other shoulder, he carefully wiped his bill on his 

 master's shirt, then giving him one keen glance, he drew back, took 

 aim, and with one blow drove his beak to the bottom of the carbuncle. 



With a shout, the embryo senator leaped half way to the ceiling, the 



persperation oozing from every pore. His threats to "kill that bird" 



were of no avail and Jack from his perch over a picture only screamed 



back defiance as he carefully wiped his lancet on his glossy feathers. 



Mrs. L. Ma> Dean. 



