The Audubon Societies 57 



Every morning Nellie went to the little stream for a pail of water. At first 

 Sammy and his companions, who spent a great deal of their time in the tree 

 tops above the brook, kept very quiet when she appeared, watching her care- 

 fully. Knowing Jays to be curious she placed a small dish of cornbread, 

 broken in pieces, on the fence some distance from the house. 



It was not long before Sammy flew down to investigate. His squawk to the 

 others was answered and a haK dozen Jays were soon enjoying a fine breakfast. 

 Several mornings of such feeding convinced the birds that she was their friend 

 and soon her appearance was greeted by a chorus of squawks from the tops of 

 the trees. 



As she passed along the trail to the brook the birds flew from tree to tree, 

 calling down to her not to forget that cornbread. If, on entering the cabin she 

 did not immediately reappear, Sammy, larger and bolder than his friends, would 

 fly to the ground where he could be seen from the window. Stalking back and 

 forth he would cast anxious glances toward the door, his bravery seconded from 

 the tree top. His friends could 'root' for him if they couldn't help him. 



When NelHe came out he would fiy to a safe distance among the branches 

 above until she returned to the house. Then, darting down several times, he 

 would carry pieces of bread to the timid ones in the tree. He must have por- 

 tioned out the bread, for the other birds rarely came so near the house. 



As the days grew colder and the snow deeper, they were driven by hunger 

 to come nearer and soon learned the exact spot on the fence where she kept their 

 dish. To avoid going out so early in the morning she would fill the dish late the 

 evening before, then, jumping out of bed as soon as she awakened, would 

 watch them from the window. Each bird would shovel away the snow with his 

 bill, seize a piece of bread, and fly to the tree where he ate it at his leisure. 



Nellie grew very fond of Sammy, who seemed to be the captain of this Blue 

 Jay company, and tried various ways of enticing him nearer the house. One 

 day, when she knew the Jays were aloft, she went to the fence in front of the 

 house, much nearer than where she had been in the habit of placing the food. 

 Placing several bits of bread on the gate-post she ran into the house and waited 

 for Sammy to appear. 



Soon he began flying about overhead, darting and squawking, afraid to 

 venture so near. Finally, almost on the wing, he siezed a piece. Having settled 

 his plumage after such a daring act, he flew down again, less cautiously, and 

 took another piece. After a few days he would often perch on the post and send 

 friendly glances toward the window. 



By this time Nellie believed that he knew she was his friend, but she wanted 

 to try him still further. She scattered some grains of corn, nice, large, yellow 

 grains, from the fence to the porch. 



Sammy watched her from a safe distance. He was 'game' but very much 

 frightened. He flew down and ate the first few grains, looked cautiously about, 

 crept nearer, flattened his topnot, spread his wings and fairly crawled to the 



