BLUE JAY, 
259 
Mr Bartram relates an instance of the jay’s sagacity, 
worthy of remark. “ Having caught a jay in the 
winter season,” says he, “ I turned him loose in the 
green-house, and fed him with corn, (zea, maize,) the 
heart of which they are very fond of. Thi.s grain being 
ripe and hard, the bird at first found a difficulty in 
hreakiiig- it, as it would start from his hill when he 
struck it. After looking about, and, as if considering 
for a moment, he picked up liis grain, carried and 
placed it close u[) in a corner on the shelf, between the 
wall and a ])laut box, where, being confined on three 
sides, he soon effected his purpose, and continued 
afterwards to make use of this same pra(d.ical expedient. 
The jay,” continues this judicious observer, “ is one of 
the most useful ag(mts in the economy of nature, for 
disseminating I'orest trees, and other ruciferous and 
hard-seeded veg-etables on which they feed. Their 
chief employment, during the autumnal season, is 
foraging to supply their winter stores. In performing 
this neces.sary duty, they drop abundance of seed in 
their flight over fields, hedges, and by fences, where 
they alight to deposit them in the post holes, &c. It 
is remarkable what numbers of young trees rise up 
in fields and pastures after a wet winter and spring. 
These birds alone are capable, in a few' years’ time, to 
replant all the cleared lands.” * 
The blue jays seldom associate in any considerable 
numbers, except in the months of September aird 
October, when they hover about, in scattered parties of 
from forty to fifty, visiting the oaks, in search of their 
favourite acorns. At this season they are less shy than 
usual, and keep chattering to each other in a variety of 
strange and querulous notes. I have counted fifty-three, 
hut never more, at one time; and these generally 
following each other in struggling irregularly from one 
range of woods to another. Yet W'e are told by the 
learned Dr Latham, — and his statement has been copied 
into many respectable European publications, — that the 
* Letter of Mr M'illiam Bartram to the author. 
