THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



U3 



simply observing the actions of these birds 

 in looking for their nest during the breed- 

 ing season. One has very often to exercise 

 a great amount of patience and perseverance 

 during the building time, the nest is very 

 readily found. The song of the male bird 

 at that period is peculiar, and therefore the 

 more easily remembered. B}^ watching 

 the male bird in the latter part of April, if 

 you are careful and follow at a distance, it 

 is a very easy matter to find the nest. He 

 will follow his silent mate, singing and 

 chirping as lustily as he can, or he will 

 perch himself on a limb near the nest and 

 watch for intruders, especially a rival, and 

 in case he spies one, he will immediatel}' 

 give chase. I was watching a pair last 

 spring and was surprised to see both birds 

 carry out instead of into a hole, fine grass 

 and bark. It struck me ds being somewhat 

 singular, so I seated myself on a stump in 

 full view to watch what would foUo'^v. 

 They seemed to be very much concerned 

 about something. When they come out of 

 the hole they '\\ovild select a crack in the 

 bark of the tree near the hole, and begin to 

 hammer the particles of grass and bark 

 until it was securely hammered fast. They 

 would then return for another load. 

 Presently I saw a Red or Pine Squirrel 

 come out of a hole a few feet below the one 

 they were working in; the moment they" 

 saw it, they flew at the intruder, who beat 

 a hasty retreat. They seemed to be verj^ 

 angTy, and kept up a continual chattering; 

 thinking that perhaps the squirrel might 

 have taken possession of their nest, I 

 climbed up and cut in, and found to my 

 surprise eight magnificent eggs; there had 

 been nine, but one had been broken. I 

 judge, by the squirrel, as there was a hole 

 in it about the size of a squirrel's claM'. On 

 examination I found the cracks in the bark 

 of the tree above and l)elow tlie hole, filled 

 with what they had taken from the 

 squirrel s nest, which had been built after 

 the bird had finished laying; the eggs were 

 slightly advanced. On the same day 1 

 found a nest of the same bird with ten eggs 

 in it. This clutch I have in in}- cabinet. 

 E. T. Ma.'k, 



Xay.arcth, Pa. 



Intelligence of the Blue Jay ; A Crow 

 Query. 



Gyanocittu crwtata. The following inci- 

 dent was related to me by a professor in 

 Belmont College, near Cincinati. 



He said that one day his wife called his 

 attention to a Blue Jay's actions in their 

 yard. 



The bird appeared to be ill. He groaned, 

 whimpered and sat unsteadilj^ on the tree. 

 Soon another Jay found him and the two 

 had a consultation. The well bird now 

 examined the sick one and then flew to a 

 cherry tree, procured some of the gum 

 from the bark, flew back and gave it to his 

 patient, who took the dose. This he re- 

 peated until the supply was exhausted. He 

 then flew to a spruce tree and soon came 

 back with remedy No. 2. He then flew 

 away and was gone some time. Finally 

 he returned and administered the third 

 prescription. This the sick bird also took. 

 The professor could not determine what 

 the second "dose" was, but the bird s6on 

 began to revive and at length flew off with 

 his comrade. (I couldn't help wondering 

 if the ' ' doctor" chai'ged him $2 a visit ?) 



The following speaks for itself. A lady 

 was passing under a tree in her garden. 

 Suddenly a Blue Jay flew down and 

 screaming fastened its talons in her hair. 

 The lady, surprised, looked first up to the 

 tree, and saw a ne.st filled with fledgelings, 

 then down to her feet and there lay a half 

 fledged Jay who had been crowded out. 

 She had him put back in his home and the 

 mother quited her screams and seemed 

 satisfied. 



A gentleman in one of Ohio's inland 

 towns is the happy possessor of a bald 

 head. The other day he stepped out into 

 the yard without his hat, when suddenly a 

 Jay dai-ted down and struck him a blow on 

 his shining pate. He then tlew off to his 

 companions who evidently enjoyed the joke 

 very much. 



(Jonas fruyicorus. Minot says, that the 

 "rattling sound that crows sometimes 

 make is uttered only in spring. I happened 

 to be near Cincinnati last week nnd as the 



