CANADA JAY. 323 



a few particulars better supported by facts, and more consonant 

 to the plain homespun of common sense. 



This species inhabits the country extending from Hudson's 

 Bay, and probably farther north, to the river St Lawrence ; 

 also, in winter, the inland parts of the district of Maine, and 

 northern tracts of the States of Vermont and New York. 

 When the season is very severe, with deep snow, they some- 

 times advance farther south ; but generally return northward 

 as the weather becomes more mild. 



The character given of this bird by the people of those parts 

 of the country where it inhabits is, that it feeds on black 

 moss, worms, and even flesh ; when near habitations or tents, 

 pilfers everything it can come at ; is bold, and comes even 

 into the tent, to eat meat out of the dishes ; watches the 

 hunters while baiting their traps for martens, and devours the 

 bait as soon as their backs are turned ; that they breed early 

 in spring, building their nests on pine trees, forming them of 

 sticks and grass, and lay blue eggs ; that they have two, rarely 

 three, young at a time, which are at first quite black, and 

 continue so for some time ; that they fly in pairs ; lay up 

 hoards of berries in hollow trees ; are seldom seen in January, 

 unless near houses ; are a kind of mock bird ; and, when 

 caught, pine away, though their appetite never fails them : 

 notwithstanding all which ingenuity and good qualities, they 

 are, as we are informed, detested by the natives* 



The only individuals of this species that I ever met with in 

 the United States were on the shores of the Mohawk, a short 

 way above the Little Falls. It was about the last of November^ 

 when the ground was deeply covered with snow. There were 

 three or four in company, or within a small distance of each 

 other, flitting leisurely along the roadside, keeping up a kind 

 of low chattering with one another, and seemed nowise appre- 

 hensive at my approach. I soon secured the whole, from the 

 best of which the drawing in the plate was carefully made. 



* Hearne's Journey, p. 405. 



