CROWS, JAYS, ETC. 279 



cunning possessed by our crows and jays. They are fond 

 of mimicking other birds, and this trait can be cultivated 

 to a remarkable degree by birds in captivity, for like some 

 other members of the intelligent family they may be taught 

 to speak. 



In the Old World the starling, like the English sparrow 

 constructs a nest in the trees, under the eaves, in church 

 steeples, and in boxes erected for their accommodation. 

 Outwardly the nests are constructed of twigs, straws, and 

 grasses, lined with finer material. The eggs are about the 

 size of a meadowlark's and are pale blue unspotted. 



