62 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
BLUE JAY. 
C OR VUS CRISTA TUS. 
[Plate VI. Vol. 2. Reduced to half size.] 
Linn. Syst. i. p. 106, No. 8. eel. 10. — Garrulus cana- 
densis cceruleus, Briss. ii. p. 55. — Pica glandaria 
cristata, Klein, p. 61, 3. — Le Geai bleu del’ Amerique 
Septentrionale, Buff. hi. p. 120. PI. Enl. 529. — Blue 
Jay , Catesb. Car. i. 15. — Edw. 239. — Arct. Zool. ii. 
No. 138.— Lath. Syn. i. p. 386, 20. — Bartram, p. 
290. — J. Doughty’s Collection. 
This elegant bird, which, as far as I can learn, is pecu- 
liar to North America, is distinguished as a kind of beau 
among the feathered tenants of our woods, by the brilliancy 
of his dress; and like most other coxcombs, makes him- 
self still more conspicuous by his loquacity, and the odd- 
ness of his tones and gestures. The Jay measures eleven 
inches in length; the head is ornamented with a crest of 
light blue or purple feathers, which he can elevate or de- 
press at pleasure; a narrow line of black runs along the 
frontlet, rising on each side higher than the eye, but not 
passing over it, as Catesby has represented, and as Pen- 
nant and many others have described it; back and upper 
part of the neck a fine light purple, in which the blue pre- 
dominates; a collar of black proceeding from the hind-head, 
passes with a graceful curve down each side of the neck, 
to the upper part of the breast, where it forms a crescent; 
chin, cheeks, throat, and belly, white, the three former 
slightly tinged with blue; greater wing-coverts a rich blue; 
exterior sides of the primaries light blue, those of the secon- 
daries a deep purple, except the three feathers next the 
body, which are of a splendid light blue; all these, except 
the primaries, are beautifully barred with crescents of 
black, and tipt with white; the interior sides of the wing 
feathers are dusky black; tail long and cuneiform, com- 
posed of twelve feathers of a glossy light blue, marked at 
half inches with transverse curves of black, each feather 
being tipt with white, except the two middle ones, which 
deepen into a dark purple at the extremities. Breast and 
sides under the wings a dirty white, faintly stained with 
purple; inside of the mouth, the tongue, bill, legs, and 
claws, black; iris of the eye, hazel. 
The Blue Jay is an almost universal inhabitant of the 
woods, frequenting the thickest settlements, as well as the 
deepest recesses of the forest, where his squalling voice often 
alarms the deer, to the disappointment and mortification of 
the hunter; one of whom informed me, that he made it a 
point, in summer, to kill every Jay he could meet with. 
In the charming season of spring, when every thicket pours 
forth harmony, the part performed by the Jay always 
catches the ear. He appears to be, among his fellow-mu- 
sicians, what the trumpeter is in a band, some of his notes 
having no distant resemblance to the tones of that instru- 
ment. These he has the faculty of changing through a 
great variety of modulations, according to the particular 
humour he happens to be in. When disposed to ridicule, 
there is scarce a bird whose peculiarities 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 a., a few paces distance; but no sooner does 
he discover your approach, 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 
neighbourhood 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 rea- 
dily mistake for the repeated creakings of an ungreased 
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 peculiari- 
ties, they might have very well justified the great Swedish 
naturalist in forming them into a separate genus by them- 
selves. 
The Blue Jay builds a large nest, frequently in the cedar, 
sometimes in an apple-tree, lines it with dry fibrous roots, 
and lays five eggs, of a dull olive, spotted with brown. 
The male is particularly careful of not being heard near 
the place, making his visits as silently and secretly as possi- 
ble. His favourite food is chesnuts, acorns, and Indian 
corn. He occasionally feeds on bugs and caterpillars, and 
sometimes pays a plundering visit to the orchard, cherry- 
rows, and potatoe-patch; and has been known, in times 
of scarcity, to venture into the barn, through openings be- 
tween the weather-boards. In these cases, he is extremely 
active and silent, and if surprised in the fact, makes his 
escape with precipitation, but without noise, as if conscious 
of his criminality. 
Of all birds he is the most bitter enemy to the Owl. No 
sooner has he discovered the retreat of one of these, than 
he summons the whole feathered fraternity to his assist- 
ance, who 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 off. When in my 
hunting excursions I have passed near the 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 owl, meanwhile, returning 
every compliment with a broad goggling stare. The war 
