276 



cassell's book of birds. 



brown, the beak and feet blackish brown. This species is about eleven inches long, its breadth 

 sixteen inches, the wing five inches and a quarter, and the tail five inches. 



Notwithstanding the beauty of its appearance, the Blue Jackdaw is regarded with but little favour 

 in America, where it is found in great numbers occupying the dense woods or groups of moderately 

 high trees. It is only migratory from the Northern States, and is elsewhere numbered among the 

 stationary birds. Wilson calls this species the Bird Trumpeter, from the remarkable sound that it 



THE CRESTED BLUE JACKDAW {Cyanocitta cristata). 



produces when alarmed ; and we learn from other writers that it can imitate the cry of the Buzzard and 

 Sparrow Falcon to such perfection as frequently to terrify the smaller feathered denizens of the woods, 

 and raises such an uproar on perceiving a fox or other enemy as compels the intruder to sneak quietly 

 away. Its attacks upon the eggs and young of other birds are extremely merciless ; and, indeed, it 

 may be regarded as a most voracious and destructive bird of prey, which devours not only small 

 quadrupeds, but will attack very large and powerful members of the feathered tribe should they be 

 wounded, and thus for the time incapable of resistance ; yet Audubon tells us that the Blue Jackdaw is 

 a most arrant coward, and that it will often fly before an adversary no stronger than itself. It obtains 



