THE BLUE JAY. 75 



delicately-shaded tints of blue, the jet-black bars and snow- 

 white tips of the wing and tail feathers, the black band from 

 the back of the crest down the sides of the neck and meet- 

 ing on the breast, and thus being most noticeable on the 

 subdued grayish-white of the cheeks and underparts — are 

 all in the most marked and pleasing contrast. No colored 

 portrait which I have ever seen is anything more than a 

 coarse caricature of the purplish-blue of the crest and back, 

 the brownish-blue on the tail, and delicate shadings of rich 

 indigo, ultra-marine and light azure on the wings. A single 

 feather of the wing or tail, dropped in the pasture, used to 

 excite my childish curiosity and love of beauty. Looking 

 merely at his size and gay dress, who would suspect him to 

 be a member of the Crow family ? Surely he is a favorite 

 arrayed in a coat of many colors. Not only is he elegant in 

 form and gay in apparel, but every motion indicates a proud, 

 self-consciousness and love of display. Even his flight, 

 which is straightforward and steady, is showy rather than 

 rapid. When alighted, he stands upright, with elevated 

 crest, and all his movements show an air of vanity and self- 

 complacency. 



His notes are many and various. His common, saucy- 

 squealing, chay, chay, chay, which, no doubt, gave him his 

 name in part^the other part being derived from his color 

 ■ — must be familiar to all who know him. "■PwilAUly, pwil- 

 hily," and '^ chillack, chillack" are among his other more 

 common utterances, while a sort of creaking, clucking 

 sound may be regarded as his love-call. He is capable of 

 imitating many birds, and there is some authority for assert- 

 ing that he, true to his crow-nature, has even been taught 

 to imitate words. He is especially fond of teasing. Wilson 

 says: " He is not only bold and vociferous, but possesses a 

 considerable talent for mimicry, and seems to enjoy great 



