BIRD PARADISE 245 



only two or three times this winter — something 

 unusual in our hill country experience. When 

 the weather is open they doubtless find plenty of 

 food in the woods and swamps. The deep snow 

 interferes somewhat with their food supply and 

 sends them searching for it in the orchards and 

 lawns of the viUage. Of course they bring their 

 bugle with them, and are sure to use it if they 

 have a shadow of a chance to do so. I like the 

 note they use if I do not have too much of it. It 

 certainly has more to recommend it in the winter 

 than in the summer. Someway the snow-fields 

 seem to soften the tone in a measure. Then the 

 belligerent echo of the summer is absent also, 

 which is certainly a great improvement. The 

 jay throws down the gauntlet to all other birds. 

 He is utterly careless regarding their rights. I 

 sometimes fancy that he has the notion that the 

 world was made especially for htm. Some day, 

 perhaps, in the forward march of evolution he 

 may appear in a new character, and how his fel- 

 low birds will enjoy the coming of that day ! 



My first visit from the blue jays this winter oc- 

 curred this week. Quite a number of them came 

 up from the swamp and for a time the village 



