BLUE JAY. 13* 



with. In the charming season of spring, when every thicket pours 

 forth harmony, the part performed by the Jay always catches the ear. 

 He appears to be, among his fellow-musicians what the trumpeter is in 

 a band, some of his notes having no distant resemblance to the tones of 

 that instrument. These he has the faculty of changing through a great 

 variety of modulations, according to the particular humor he happens 

 to be in. When disposed for ridicule, there is scarce a bird whose pecu- 

 liarities of song he cannot tune his notes to. When engaged in the 

 blandishments of love, they resemble the soft chatterings of a duck ; 

 and while he nestles among the thick branches of the cedar, are scarce 

 heard at a few paces distant ; but no sooner does he discover your ap.- 

 proach, than he sets up a- sudden and vehement outcry, flying off, and 

 screaming with all his might, as if he called the whole feathered tribes 

 of the neighborhood to witness some outrageous usage he had received. 

 When he hops undisturbed among the high branches of the oak and 

 hickory, they become soft and musical ; and his calls of the female, a 

 stranger would readily mistake for the repeated creakings of an un- 

 greased wheelbarrow. All these he accompanies with various nods, 

 jerks, and other gesticulations, for which the whole tribe of Jays are so 

 remarkable-, that, with some other peculiarities, they might have very 

 well justified the great Swedish naturalist in forming them into a sepa- 

 rate genus by themselves. 



The Blue Jay builds a large nest, frequently in the cedar, sometimes 

 in an apple-tree, lines it with dry fibrous roots, and lays five eggs, of 

 a dull olive, spotted with brown. The male is particularly careful of 

 not being heard near the place, making his visits as silently and secretly 

 as possible. His favorite food is chestnuts, acorns, and Indian corn. 

 He occasionally feeds on bugs and caterpillars, and sometimes pays a 

 plundering visit to the orchard, cherry-rows, and potato-patch ; and 

 has been known, in times of scarcity, to venture into the barn, through 

 openings between the weather-boards. In these cases he is extremely 

 active and silent, and if surprised in the fact makes his escape with 

 precipitation, but without noise, as if conscious of his criminality. 



Of all birds he is the most bitter enemy to the Owl. No sooner has 

 he discovered the retreat of one of these, than he summons the whole 

 feathered fraternity to his assistance, who surround the glimmering 

 solitaire, and attack him from all sides, raising such a shout, as may 

 be heard, in a still day, more than half a mile off. When in my hunting 

 excursions I have passed near this scene of tumult, I have imagined to 

 myself that I heard the insulting party venting their respective charges 

 with all the virulency of a Billingsgate mob ; the owl, meanwhile, 

 returning every compliment with a broad goggling stare. The war 

 becomes louder and louder, and the Owl, at length forced to betake 



