THE BLUE JAY. 
133 
Jack/^ althongh, as Sir John Eichardson remarks, it has 
nothing pleasing in its voice, plumage, form, or attitude, is 
hailed with delight as one of the inhabitants of the pathless 
forest, which fearlessly approach man. Like the rest of its 
tribe, it collects berries, and pieces of meat and fish, which it 
hoards in the hollows of trees ; and it is thus enabled, ac- 
cording to Mr. King^, to pass the winter in comfort, and 
rear its young much earlier than any other birds of the far 
countries. Mr. King says that it was a constant attendant 
of his party in their walks and encampments; and such was 
its famiharity that, as soon as a fire was lighted, it made its 
appearance, to feast on the morsels of pemmican or fish that 
escaped the attention of the dogs. Sir John Richardson 
speaks of its becoming so tame in winter as to eat from the 
hand ; and yet, so impatient is the bird of confinement, that, 
if put in a cage, it soon pines away. 
Another species of Jay (Plate IX. fig. 1, Garndtis cristatns), 
the Blue Jay, a native of the woods of North America, is 
described by Wilson as quite a beau among the wood-birds, 
from the brilliancy of its plumage. This species is a great 
mimic, and has a voice capable of going through a great variety 
* Narrative of Journey to the Shores of Arctic Ocean in 1833-35 with 
Captain Back, vol. ii. p. 123. 
