8 BLUE JAY. 



number of words pretty distinctly ; and, when he heard any 

 uncommon noise or loud talking, seemed impatient to con- 

 tribute his share to the general festivity (as he probably 

 thought it) by a display of all the oratorical powers he was 

 possessed of. 



Mr Bartram relates an instance of the jay's sagacity worthy 

 of remark. " Having caught a jay in the winter season," says 

 he, " I turned him loose in the greenhouse, and fed him with 

 corn (zea, maize), the heart of which they are very fond of. 

 This grain being ripe and hard, the bird at first found a 

 difficulty in breaking it, as it would start from his bill when 

 he struck it. After looking about, and, as if considering for 

 a moment, he picked up his grain, carried and placed it close 

 up in a corner on the shelf, between the wall and a plant 

 box, where, being confined on three sides, he soon effected 

 his purpose, and continued afterwards to make use of this 

 same practical expedient. The jay," continues this judicious 

 observer, " is one of the most useful agents in the economy 

 of nature for disseminating forest trees, and other ruciferous 

 and hard-seeded vegetables on which they feed. Their chief 

 employment, during the autumnal season, is foraging to supply 

 their winter stores. In performing this necessary duty, they 

 drop abundance of seed in their flight over fields, hedges, and 

 by fences, where they alight to deposit them in the post-holes, 

 &c. It is remarkable what numbers of } r oung trees rise up 

 in fields and pastures after a wet winter and spring. These 

 birds alone are capable, in a few years' time, to replant all the 

 cleared lands."* 



The blue jays seldom associate in any considerable numbers, 

 except in the months of September and October, when they 

 hover about, in scattered parties of from forty to fifty, visiting 

 the oaks in search of their favourite acorns. At this season 

 they are less shy than usual, and keep chattering to each other 

 in a variety of strange and querulous notes. I have counted 

 fifty- three, but never more, at one time; and these generally 

 * Letter of Mr William Bartram to the author. 



