26 The Fay. 

Mr. Bewick tells us of a Jay’s accuracy of voice. We 
‘will give you the anecdote in his own words: 
“A Jay, kept by a person we were acquainted with, 
at the approach of cattle, had learned to hound a cur 
dog upon them by whistling and calling him by his 
name; at last, during a severe frost, the dog was by 
that means excited to attack a cow, when the poor. 
animal fell on the ice, and was very much hurt. The 
Jay being complained of as a nuisance, its owner was 
obliged to destroy it.” | 
This bird nests in May, and generally in_ trees 
not far from the ground, where it can see some bye 
way used by afew people. It makes its nest of sticks, 
The female lays five eggs. The young fly with the 
parent-birds through the winter, and live on acorns, 
cherries, beans, and peas, of which they are very fond. 
For the depredations done to these last things, the 
sardener vows vengeance against them, and many 
fall from the frequent firing of his gun. This bird 
has many enemies. The gamekeeper deems it an 
intruder in his preserves, he therefore traps and shoots 
all he can; and since ladies have taken to wear the 
plumes of our most beautiful birds, both the Jay and 
the kingfisher have afforded a good supply to the 
