1889. Maine. 
e4^ 
Perisoreas canadensis. 
( 
L. Umbagog 
During September we observed them on only three occasions, 
on each of which two or* three birds were seen in or near swam¬ 
py evergreen woods. Through October they were seen almost 
daily, but in nothing like the numbers of the Blue Jays. Af¬ 
ter the leaves fell, they were met with chiefly about, open¬ 
ings, pastures, etc., hunting apparently for grass-hoppers, 
often going out into the fields several hundred yards. They 
were also .frequently observed among stubs along the shore of 
the lake^ Early m October, two individuals appeared near 
our camj'. For a week or more they were shy, r .ther, . ap. - 
suspicious, keeping out of sight as much as possible, 
and not appro eh ing* the camp nearer than thirty or forty yaros. 
P,y degress they became more familiar, and by the middle of the 
month showed the utmost boldness, alighting on the table 
eating out of the dishes, visiting the store tent, hopping 
into boxes , kettles etc., in their search for food. For 
about two weeks we fed them generously with all sorts of ref¬ 
use from our table, placing this in one spot. After they had 
become accustomed to our presence, they spent the greater 
part of each day in carrying food, back into the woods, corn- 
in:- sometimes together, but usually alternately every two or 
three minutes,filling their throats and bills to the utmost. 
capacity, then by short flights, passing out of sight. r.-hey 
seemed to prefer baked beans to any other food which, we had 
to offer them, and next to beans oat meal. They would take 
bread or cracker when nothing else offered, carrying' pieces 
of .large size in their bills, .after having stuffed their 
throats with smaller fragments. They did not seem to care 
for me^when the things just mentioned could be had. Of baked 
beans they regularly took four at one load, three in the 
throat and one held in the bill. . Sometimes they would eat a 
littlg before starting off wit > t'be^tload, but I rarely saw 
them do this. They worked with great persistency during the 
entire day, but they did not seem to be particularly early 
risers, for they did not appear at the camp unti’l about sun¬ 
rise, nor were they ever seen much after sunset. They also 
stayed away during trt*e rainy weather or at least when it was 
raining at all heavily, but during a protracted rainy spell, 
they took advantage of every interval when the rain ceased 
falling, and made as many trips as possible before it began 
again. The guides say that they do not like to get their 
plumage wet and that if it becomes very wet, they are unable 
to fly. 
2P 
