a a 
“148 THE CONDOR 
robber’’. For they serve as scavengers, and not as robbers of the type of mag- 
pies and pack rats. At times the numerous ‘‘bear dumps’’, as the localities 
where garbage is thrown for bears are known, attract these birds, but not 
enough to cause them to desert the camps entirely. Birds of the air and of 
the tree tops as they are, when they are on the ground they move somewhat 
awkwardly in a series of long hops, a little sideways perhaps, a good deal like 
crows and ravens. 
While Rocky Mountain Jays are frequently seen on ‘‘the formations’’ 
about the hot springs and even in the Geyser Basins, it is evident they are not 
especially attracted there. Neither the water, nor the heat, nor the breeding 
insects, are of interest to these Jays. 
These birds are common enough all winter about the ranger stations. In 
May and early June they begin visiting camps; but at that time, possibly be- 
cause it is their nesting season, they are shy and sometimes indifferent to 
crumbs thrown out for them. Soon they become bolder, and by September 
are something of a pest, although they make up for this later by the touch of 
life they give to an otherwise cheerless and:wintry landscape. At times they 
add very much to the amusement of a winter camp. For instance, a Jay came 
to my camp one snowy morning; the falling snow was too light and soft for 
him to walk on, but he was hungry and wanted the scraps I had: thrown out. 
Jays are shrewd, and this one was no exception to the rule: he spread his wings 
whenever he wished to alight, letting his feet and body sink into the snow until 
the spread wings rested on the surface and supported him. True, he had a 
httle difficulty in flying up from such a position; but after a trial or two, he 
seemed to acquire a knack for it. 
Camp Robbers, as their nickname would imply, have bold and daring ways, 
especially when there is food at stake. At one camp where I remained some 
time I used to feed them; on the first day fifteen feet was as close as they 
would come; six days after that they fed unconcerned within three feet, and 
a day later within six inches of my hand. These were perfectly wiid birds; 
but when I lunched one day near Apollinaris Spring, where there had been 
campers all summer, two Jays alighted on my head, one on my back, and one 
on my elbow, without any hesitatson whatever. 
At my Lewis Lake camp the Jays promptly came trooping in for 
‘“ooodies’’. Two, that were a little too greedy, were soon a-fighting, and they 
fought each other so hard they fell to the ground and were picked up by the 
eook still fighting. When they found themselves caught, they squalled so 
loudly and piercingly as to call a dozen companions to the scene. Still, when 
they were released, they flew off not very much frightened and returned almost 
immediately. 
Once I made a trip to Snake River valley ‘‘by my lonesome’’, and, as I 
unpacked, a Camp Robber and a red squirrel decided to camp, too! With 
marvellous unanimity they selected the same place I did! ‘‘Hello,’’ thinks 1, 
‘“here’s where I shall have to watch my bacon pretty closely.’’ I did! I saved 
the bacon and the frying pan, but the Camp Robber got the bacon rind and 
some of the grease. The Rocky Mountain Jays became so bold at DeLacey 
Creek camp as to enter the tents and take things off the table; one took a bit 
of bread from the knee of a man lying on his bed. Later I had one purloin 
food from a small camp table at which I was eating at the time. 
Vol. XXIII ~ 
