The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-11-29
The Elue-Jay.

It IS during the fall aud winter thai this
bird is sec2 most frequently and to the best
advantage. At this time he IS of duty and
bound 10 have good time. HIS domestic
cares for the season are over: he hGs reared
his annual family ard trained them n the
way they should go, and they have gone,
and he also IS at liberty to 90 whittier he
iisteth. He casts OF his last years suit
which has grown bit shabby during the
working season aEG, arraved in clothing OF
the latest fashion and most brilliant dyes,
and with jaunty plumed cap upon his
head he sal:ies fOlta n search Of aGven-
lures, the vcriest coXconlb il ali tue world.
Among ali OF our beautiful plumagcd
birds, and we have more Of them than
many persons suppose, there ere few or
none that cen vie with the jay in bIllIian-
cy Of coloraion, though the whole effect
IS produced by the single cc.or blue, in
various shades and combinations with black
and white and a tinse OF gray. The tiats
vary fro3- strong, rich ultr2ma-ine TO pale
delicate lavender which fades away to the
gray beneath, and wLep coatlaSted with
the deep green OF the summer forest, the
gayer the hues of the autumn foliage or tie
dazzling white Of the winter landscape, the
effect is str;kingly beautiful. The form and
movements OF the bird are well adapted to
exhibit his splendid c0!crs to the best ad-
vantage. Never still, yet seldom moving
swiftly, he is constantly hopping from
branch to branch or fitting from tree to
tree. Il is custom of his to alight or one
Of the lower limbs and then hop from this
to the next higher, anu SC on till he has
gained the top, and then wing his way to
another.
As singer, the jay has no reputation
in fact, there are those who think his VOICE
is the wo;st part Of him; yet there is much
10 please the lover Of nature in his various
notes, and to those who associate then
with tie pleaSan;est months Of the year
the season Of the harvest, the time of the
frui:ion of the hopes and labors of the
spring and sunlmer-they suggest lelGs of
ripening corn, orchards bending with their
loads and igsSSlatt.en forests where the brown
nuts are rafting down. His notes are OF
three kinds; the most common and the enc
by which he is best known, is hoars@
scream which he uses rs a call for his
mate and to express his diSpleasure when
you iutrude upon what he considers his
own domain. You are walking quietly
thrOu2h the woods some calm October
morning, when YOU are startled by a shrill
voice au.id the branches Just above, qnG
locking up, YOU catch glinipses OF him a>
he hops from one limb 10 another, stopping
for g moment on each, 20 shower down =
vollcy OF impEecalons on your devoted
head; then SprineiuS into Il iree.top, he
passes he Cry along TO half dozen Others,
who lake it up and make the woods ring
with what appear 20 be anything but com
plimentary reu.arks. ~ another time,
when al is still in the forest and you do
not yourself disturb the silence, there may
come 10 your ears q soft chucklnS sound;
and, peering through III" hnst.es, YOU VIII
see two or three j@ys; either On the ground
or very near Il, al busily engaged N con-
verSatioE, IL those low, my>terlouS tnn>>
that iHGicasica e the discussion OF sOu4c
choice Of mach rciiShcd hlrd scandal. Al.
other note, the mCst peculiar Of all, is
only heard whc2 the leaves are falling Or
have fallen, and is particularly suggestive
Of the still, smoky days Of the Indian sum-
mer. This note Is so difficult Of deSclip-
tlon that | shall moi a,;emptlt. Mr. Samue!S
says that it is '':ln exceedingly sweet bell
like note, that possesses g moucnful toac,
Ike that 0f far-oif hamlet bell to!licg a
funeral dlrge."
The jay IS rot a solitary bird, anG when
one is seen II IS pretty certain that ancthcT,
ard perhaps several are nct far of, and
being in company they are always ready
for f.olic. They delight 70 tormen; thos:.