Identifier: birdneighbors00blan (find matches)
Title: Bird neighbors. An introductory acquaintance with one hundred and fifty birds commonly found in the gardens, meadows, and woods about our homes
Year: 1904 (1900s)
Authors: Blanchan, Neltje, 1865-1918
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: New York : Grosset & Dunlap

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nd Jay family Length—11 to 12 inches. A little larger than the robin. Male and Female—Blue above. Black band around the neck, join-ing some black feathers on the back. Under parts duskywhite. Wing coverts and tail bright blue, striped trans-versely with black. Tail much rounded. Many feathersedged and tipped with white. Head finely crested ; bill,tongue, and legs black. Range—Eastern coast of North America to the plains, and fromnorthern Canada to Florida and eastern Texas. Migrations—Permanent resident. Although seen in flocks mov-ing southward or northward, they are merely seeking hap-pier hunting grounds, not migrating. No bird of finer color or presence sojourns with us the yearround than the blue jay. In a peculiar sense his is a case ofbeauty covering a multitude of sins. Among close studentsof bird traits, we find none so poor as to do him reverence. Dis-honest, cruel, inquisitive, murderous, voracious, villainous, are 104 -i^wgaF; ■ :-mi:mmmm^mf)-^A:^t :t!?.^^«»P^^
Text Appearing After Image:
BLUEJAY Blue and Bluish some of the epithets applied to this bird of exquisite plumage.Emerson, however, has said in his defence he does more goodthan harm, alluding, no doubt, to his habit of burying nuts andhard seeds in the ground, so that many a waste place is clothedwith trees and shrubs, thanks to his propensity and industry. He is mischievous as a small boy, destructive as a monkey,deft at hiding as a squirrel. He is unsociable and unamiable,disliking the society of other birds. His harsh screams, shrieks,and most aggressive and unmusical calls seem often intendedmaliciously to drown the songs of the sweet-voiced singers. From April to September, the breeding and moulting season,the blue jays are almost silent, only sallying forth from the woodsto pillage and devour the young and eggs of their more peacefulneighbors. In a bulky nest, usually placed in a tree-crotch highabove our heads, from four to six eggs, olive-gray with brownspots, are laid and most carefully tended. Notwit

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