286 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
ness for retreat. Seeing, however, the jay begin to 
pick up some crumbs of broken chestnuts in a hum- 
ble and peaceable way, she also descended and be- 
gan to do the same, but at the slightest motion of 
her new guest wheeled round and put herself on 
the defensive. 
“ 4 All this ceremonious jealousy vanished before 
evening, and they now roost together, feed and play 
together, in perfect harmony and good humor. When 
the jay goes to drink his messmate very impudently 
jumps into the saucer to wash herself, throwing the 
water in showers over her companion, who bears it 
all patiently, venturing now and then to take a sip 
between every splash, without betraying the smallest 
token of irritation. On the contrary, he seems to 
take pleasure in his little fellow-prisoner, allowing 
her to pick, which she does very gently, about his 
whiskers, and to clear his claws from the minute 
fragments of chestnuts which happen to adhere to 
them. 
“ ‘ This attachment on the one part and mild con- 
descension on the other may perhaps be partly the 
effect of mutual misfortunes — which are found not 
only to knit mankind, but many species of inferior 
animals, more closely together — and shows that the 
disposition of the blue jay may be humanized and 
rendered susceptible of affectionate impressions, even 
