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Dr. A. G. Butler,



(as a foundation for its nest) across the branch of a tree; of

course the moment the bird let go of the feather to seek fresh

materials, over it fell to the ground, and was immediately retrieved

and replaced, only again to fall.


On the other hand a Hangnest confined in a cage

immediately begins to examine the fastenings of the door; if

this is kept closed by a simple hook and eye, it will probe about

with its long bill and try its utmost to lift the hook; and. no

sooner is this done, than the bird pushes the door open and

escapes ; I well know, to my cost, how extremely difficult so

intelligent a bird is to capture with a net; it seems thoroughly

to enjoy one’s discomfiture as it conceals itself behind some

heavy cage, and then, while one is shifting the latter, slips out

at the opposite side and is hidden on the top of some shelf

yards away, before one can turn round.


My English Jay always expects me to play with him when

I give him his food in the morning; I have to put my finger

through the wire of his cage and he makes a dig at it with his

bill, aiming at the wire close to my finger, as though he were

aware that by striking at my digit he might cause pain. Of

course I have to pretend to be alarmed and draw away my finger

hurriedly ; then he turns partly round and pretends not to be

looking, but as my finger remains he suddenly whirls round

upon it; often he even takes a short hop towards his food and

then spins round at me: feinting is evidently a fighting-trick

quite understood by this bird.


It would not be supposed that a predaceous bird like a Jay

would show any sympathy for the troubles of other species, much

less that it would exhibit magnanimity towards small birds, yet

this seems to be the case with my hand-reared bird :—The

Mocking-bird which I now have was the old and valued com¬

panion of a lady, who, being about to travel, offered the bird to

me ; since its arrival it has been in my possession about eight

years. From old age this bird’s feet are much distorted, the toes

crumpled or wanting to some extent on each foot, in consequence

of which they sometimes become clogged and “ balled” with dirt.

When this happens, of course I have to catch the bird out of his

flight-cage, and my Jay not understanding that my object in



