BLUE JAY. 
135 
■with. In the charming season of spring, when every thicket pours 
forth harmony, the part performed by tlie Jay always catches the ear. 
He appears to be, among his fellow-musicians what the trumpeter is in 
a band, some of his notes having no distant resemblance to the tones of 
that instrument. These he has the faculty of changing through a great 
variety of modulations, according to the particular humor he happens 
to be in. When disposed for ridicule, there is scarce a bird whose pecu- 
liarities of song he cannot tune his notes to. When engaged in the 
blandishments of love, they resemble the soft chatterings of a duck; 
and while he nestles among the thick branches of the cedar, are scarce 
heard at a few paces distant ; but no sooner does he discover your ap- 
proach, than he sets up a sudden and vehement outcry, flying off, and 
screaming with all his might, as if he called the whole feathered tribes 
of the neighborhood to witness some outrageous usage he had received. 
When he hops undisturbed among the high branches of the oak and 
hickory, they become soft and musical ; and his calls of the female, a 
stranger would readily mistake for the repeated creakings of an un- 
greased wheelbarrow. All these he accompanies with various nods, 
jerks, and other gesticulations, for which the whole tribe of Jays are so 
remarkable, that, with some other peculiarities, they might have very 
well justified the great Swedish naturalist in forming them into a sepa- 
rate genus by themselves. 
The Blue Jay builds a large nest, frequently in the cedar, sometimes 
in an apple-tree, lines it Avith dry fibrous roots, and lays five eggs, of 
a dull olive, spotted Avith brown. The male is particularly careful of 
not being heard near the place, making his visits as silently and secretly 
as possible. His favorite food is chestnuts, acorns, and Indian corn. 
He occasionally feeds on bugs and caterpillars, and sometimes pays a 
plundering visit to the orchard, cherry-roAVS, and potato-patch ; and 
has been knoAvn, in times of scarcity, to venture into the barn, through 
openings between the weather-boards. In these cases he is extremely 
active and silent, and if surprised in the fact makes his escape Avith 
precipitation, but without noise, as if conscious of his criminality. 
Of all birds he is the most bitter enemy to the OayI. No sooner has 
he discovered the retreat of one of these, than he summons the Avholo 
feathered fraternity to his assistance, Avho surround the glimmering 
solitaire, and attack him from all sides, raising such a shout, as may 
be heard, in a still day, more than half a mile oW. When in my hunting 
excursions I have passed near this scene of tumult, I have imagined to 
myself that I heard the insulting party venting their respective charges 
with all the virulency of a Billingsgate mob ; the oavI, meauAvhile, 
returning every compliment with a broad goggling stare. The war 
becomes louder and louder, and the Owl, at length forced to betake 
