The Gray Jays 



Hunger is the chief characteristic of these docile birds, and no poten- 

 tial food is refused, nuts, acorns, insects, berries, or even, as a last resort, 

 the buds of trees. Meat of any sort has an especial attraction to them ; 

 and they are the despair of the trapper because of their propensity for 

 stealing bait. The hunter knows them for arch sycophants, and he 

 is occasionally able to trace a wounded deer, or to locate a carcass by the 

 movements of these expectant heirs. Says Mr. A. W. Anthony: "While 

 dressing deer in the thick timber I have been almost covered with Jays 

 flying down from the neighboring trees. They would settle on my back, 

 head, or shoulders, tugging and pulling at each loose shred of my coat 

 until one would think that their only object was to help me in all ways 

 possible." 



In the higher miaBiKi»«ummvmaiinmimtMamaammmim.\ia\iii m^^B^^^m 



latitudes "Whisky 

 Jack," in spite of 

 carefully secreted 

 stores, often be- 

 comes very emaci- 

 ated in winter, a 

 mere bunch of bones 

 and feathers, no 

 heavier than a Red- 

 poll. While the Jays 

 of our kindlier 

 clime do not feel 

 so keenly the belly 

 pinch of winter, 

 they have the same 

 thrifty habits as 

 their northern kin- 

 folk. Food is never refused, and a well-stuffed specimen will still carry 

 grub from camp and secrete it in bark-crevice or hollow, against the 

 unknown hour of need. 



Though not a noisy bird after the fashion of Aphelocoma or Cyano- 

 citta, the Gray Jay, nevertheless, gives rise to a considerable variety of 

 sounds. Besides the soft cooing whee ew, with which the birds follow 

 each other's movements, there is a drawling petulant squeal, curiously 

 hawk-like in quality. By a great stretch of the imagination this could 

 be rendered Jaaay, jaaay. On other occasions the resemblance to the 

 quee e e er of the Western Redtail is inescapable. Then there is a "winding- 

 up note," not unlike the squeak of the Golden Eagle; a krowk krowk 

 krowk of alarm ; and the kooree kooree kroo kroo kroo kroo of more extended 



9KH 



J. II. Bowles 



A BACHELOR'S PET 



74 



