256 
NESTS AND EGGS OF 
evinced remarkable intelligence, and which possessed nearly the loquacity 
of some of the Parrots. It could pronounce several words with remarkable 
distinctness, and when called, would respond to its name in quite a sociable 
manner. By fanciers the Jay is esteemed the most ingenious, artful and 
teachable bird with which they have met. 
A peculiarity of the species, deserving mention, is the habit of the 
sexes to go together during the winter, showing that some kind of attach- 
ment exists, even at the period when many birds, not gregarious, find it 
most to their interest to lead solitary lives. This disposition to go in 
pairs may be the beginning of a tendency to gregariousness, such as pre- 
vails among some of its near cousins, or it may be considered as the last 
vestige of a habit that was once predominant. Cases have been observed 
where the sexes dwelt apart, which leads to the suspicion that the species 
is surely and inevitably gravitating towards such a state. In the season 
of cold and scarcity, when most of our resident birds are too much con- 
cerned with the procurement of food to permit the social relations to have 
a moment’s sway, the life of a celibate seems to be more fitting, and in 
very many cases is one of preference. While these birds thus continue to 
keep together, possibly through force of long-established habit, yet they do 
not manifest the slightest tendency to matrimony, until Nature has suf- 
ficiently recovered from torpor to insure a living for their offspring. Not 
very fastidious in appetite, and easy to please, almost any kind of insect 
diet answers. Consequently, with the early dawning of April, but never 
later than the fifteenth of the month, a change comes over them. Less 
anxiety is manifested for food-matters, and more friendly relations estab- 
lished. The sexes consort together much, and after a few days of court- 
ship, which business is seemingly unmarked by any great display of form, 
settle down to the prosy realities of life. Nidification is now entered into 
with commendable zeal. For this purpose a forest or orchard tree is 
generally chosen, although a low bush is sometimes made subservient. In 
retii’ed localities a preference is shown for the pine. The selection of a 
site never consumes much time. With old birds it requires careful and 
