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SOME CANADIAN HIKDS. 



■-"M .f >/ 



BLUE JAY. 



This conspicuous and noisy fellow has been seen too often to 

 require a lengthy story ; but the fact may not be well known that 

 these birds are found throughout this eastern country — among the 

 orchards of balmy South Ontario as well as in the spruce and pine 

 forests north of the Laurentian hills. They spend the entire year 

 with us, though during the cold weather they seek the shelter of 

 the denser woodlands. 



Wherever he goes, the jay makes for himself an unsavory 

 reputation — pilfering and general bad manners being his dominant 

 characteristics. He will steal anything from corn to birds' eggs, 

 — or even young birds — and will rob the orchard and berry patch 

 in spite of all care. His noise and bad temper are proverbial, 

 but it's his way, poor thing, and he would not be our blue jay if he 

 did not indulge to excess in both diversions. Ha has been called 



