226 



THE JAY. 



that decay has entered deeply into the tree itself, 

 without any aid from rain water. The surrounding 

 live wood, which kept swelling gradually while the 

 dead branch remained on the tree, now that the 

 obstruction is removed, begins to advance over the 

 newly exposed and distempered part. In the mean 

 time, the birds find no difficulty in excavating this 

 part, and there forming a place for incubation, or 

 for a nocturnal residence. Mice and rats will also 

 find their way into these diseased parts of trees. I 

 know of a crab tree in which a mouse lives. Its 

 hole is about 5 feet from the ground. 



I have written this paper, first, to show the true 

 habits of the titmouse and the woodpecker relative 

 to their choice of a place for their incubation ; and, 

 secondly, to catch the eye of the proprietor of the 

 American Quarterly Review^ who, I am informed, 

 has thought fit to heap anonymous abuse upon me, 

 with an unsparing hand. Let this sage discerner 

 of ornithological merit turn to pages 200. and 343. 

 of the Biography of Birdsy and then blush for 

 American ignorance. 



NOTES ON THE HABITS OF THE JAY. 



Our peas and ripe cherries have attractions which 

 this well-known bird cannot resist. To these it 

 unfortunately resorts, and loses its life by the gun 

 of the watchful gardener, who never fails to magnify 



