i82 BIRD PARADISE 



effort to make headway against the storm. They 

 were content to keep well within the shelter of 

 the woods and hills through the entire day. 

 When one did venture from the coverts the wind 

 tossed him to and fro with the greatest ease. I 

 am sure there is no other sight in the wide house 

 of nature more comical than the crow when the 

 great winds are upsetting all his plans. I have a 

 notion that the humor of the experience helps 

 warm the entire flock. Does the sharp cold 

 weather give a new lustre to the glossy suits of 

 the black fellows ? I fancy that it does ; at least 

 so it appears to me. Perhaps on a day of wind 

 and storm there are great compensations which 

 the crow knows and enjoys. I have tried a num- 

 ber of times to look in upon them when they 

 were shut in to one of their forest fastnesses, but 

 never with a very large measure of success. 

 Some of them are always on guard and the ap- 

 proach of a stranger is sure to be heralded to the 

 entire company. The blue jay has several marked 

 characteristics that give him close kinship with 

 the crow. Neither does any migrating that we 

 know about. Both have voices that are wholly 

 free from all musical tones. So far as I know 

 they have no friendships with other birds. Per- 

 haps their relation to other birds is best expressed 



