40 A CATALOGUE OF THE BIRDS 



between them, and, escaping into my museum, commenced with- 

 out the least delay to attack the bird cases, and would soon have 

 done much mischief had it not been immediately discovered. I 

 was absent at the time, and its depredations could only be stop- 

 ped by not allowing it to rest on any thing composed of wood. 

 Wherever it alighted it at once commenced to test, with rapid 

 blows of its bill, the nature of the material. It at length pitched 

 upon a plate of Gruillemot's eggs, and before it could be inter- 

 rupted had smashed every one. It then attacked the bones of a 

 bird which were awaiting articulation, and dispersed them in all 

 directions. This was the first day's work of its domestication. 



Before it could be made secure the wooden bars, and every 

 exposed portion of the frame work of the cage, had to be covered 

 with tin. It was extremely restless and active, and never set- 

 tled when any one was present. It never became very tame, 

 and I could never get it to look me full in the face. It always 

 avoided my gaze by turning its head aside, as if it disliked to 

 look directly at me. Its voice was very peculiar ; it had an ex- 

 tremely harsh, loud cry, resembling the noise produced by a 

 ripping saw while in full action. This cry was so loud that it 

 could be heard all over the house. It had also a sweet, low, 

 delicate, warbling song. This was uttered only when everything 

 was perfectly quiet. The song was much varied, and was con- 

 tinued for some time. So low and delicate was it, that it could 

 only be heard when the bird was close at hand, and the note 

 seemed as if it were produced low down in the throat. The song 

 was occasionally interrupted by a few low creaking notes, like 

 those produced when a corkscrew is being used. 



The Jay appears also to have a somewhat similar song. Mon- 

 tagu says, ' ' Its common notes are various but harsh ; it will 

 sometimes in the spring utter a song in a soft and pleasing man- 

 ner, but so low as not to be heard at any distance." 



