NUTCRACKER 231 



raises and depresses. The Blue Jay is extremely 

 noisy, keeping up a continual chattering and calling 

 in its harsh and penetrating voice, and mimicking 

 other birds apparently for its own amusement. It 

 appears to take especial delight in frightening smaller 

 birds by imitating the cry of the Sparrow-Hawk. 



The Canada Jay is a slightly smaller form than its 

 blue relative, and is ashy grey in colour, with black 

 and white markings. It is found in the northern part 

 of this continent, coming southward in winter as far as 

 New England. 



The Jackdaw and the Magpie are two corranon 

 European birds of the Crow family, which share the 

 characteristics of the tribe in general. Magpies have 

 very long tails, and in form are more graceful than the 

 tree Crows. Both species are easily tamed and taught 

 to imitate the human voice to some extent. They are 

 very cunning, and are particularly addicted to steal- 

 ing small bright objects and carrying them to their 

 nests, or hiding them in other places. See Plate 19, 

 Fig. 114. 



The American Magpie, found in the western part 

 of North America, is slightly smaller than the 

 European, but is like it in colouring. The Jackdaw 

 has no representative in this country. See Plate 20, 

 Fig. 115. 



The Nutcracker is an Old World bird whose near- 

 est relative in this country is Clark's Crow, found on 

 the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains. The 

 plumage of the Nutcracker is brown, spotted with 

 white. The seeds of cone-bearing trees form its prin- 



