Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-07-14
THEY SOUGHT REVENGE.
Bluo Jays Furl0usIy Attack o Horso That
EroI1o Up Their Nest.

Along ono sido of q field on tho myers
farm there Is q thick growth of bushes
Sono Of which grow high and strong
Gays tho Lancaster correspondent Of tho
New York Sun. Many kinds of small
birds find this thickct most favorably
1or their nesting places, and in tho
spring cattlo and horses that pasture in
tho Gcld browse on tho sweet and tender
young foliage Tho owner of tho farm
turned in tho field to pasture = few daya
ago number OF cattle, among them two
bay horses. Tho farmer was working in
tho field, not far from tho thicllct, when
no hoard blue jays making moro roiso
than IS usual even with these noisy
birds. Looking up TO SEQ what the
trouble might he, he saw four blue Jays
engaged in g 1crco assault ON ono of tho
horses. They wcrc darling ut him from
I'll Gides, pcclIinE at his face, striking
him in tho neck and sides and about tho
head in 2 manner that was evidence
enough that tho horse had offended
them in como aggravated way. Tho
POOR horse ran first ono way and then
another to escape tho fury of tho cx-
CiScd birds, but he w23 headed Off which
c.vor way no turned by tho birds dash
inJ flcrccly in his faco and assailinT
him with hoax and claw. FcarinT
that tho sharp-billcd and persist
ont jays would blind tho horse,
tho farmer hurried to his aid. Even
after he arrived on tho scono and took
tho horse by tho r12no and led him
away from tho spot, tho infuriatcd birds
lowered about and followed him for a
long distance, making frequent dasccn is
upon tho horses body, All ialictinT
blows that made him winco and lump IS
II ho wore being docply prollol with 4
spur. Tho farmer lol tho horso to tho
other aido OF tho fold, AMI tho birds re-
turned To tho thicllot, whore thoy hold
noisy consultation ct q p2rti3ul2r spot,
Gai soonod 10 DO in great tribulatioa.
70 discover, II pos3ibIo, what had
aroused this cEt"o!no anger of tho blue
13yo against tho hoI1o. tho farmer
went over to tho thicllot, and at tho
e2ot where tho clamor of tao jays was
60 great no found tho doal bodies of
thrco nowly-hatchcd blue jays. Tho old
birds circlcd around him furiously g mo-
mont, and thcn dashed away across tho
field to whcro tho horse had resumed
its feeding, and removed their attack en-
Protaction Of his horse as in. Tho poor
animal was dashiny frantically about,
whilo tho birds pccllcd and struck him
at cvcry vulnerable point. Tho farmer
rescued tho horse q second timo, and
tho birds flow back to tho bushes.
Ivory tinc tho horse was left to him
self, however, tho birds would rcrcw
tho attack on him, and tho owner of
tho horse wa3 1T last compelled ID tako
tho Gniclal back to tho barn. Tho i2ys
E1ndc no attack on tho other horse,
which was feeding not far from tho
taiolIct. Tho next day tho horse that
E&l excited tho anico3ity of tho blue
jays Wa tarnod in tho lot again, but no
had bcca there only . short tirlo when
tho birds discovered his presence and
attacked him rs ficrccly rs they had tho
previous day, and he was taken homo.
road pc 1Sc3 on tho other %il~ Of
JIiclzco anu Is constantly travelled by
t"ain7. On tho second day OF tho attack
OF tho jtys on tho bay horse no wa3
h!tchcd UP to drive to q ncighborinc
village on tho road mentioned. AS ho
was being driven past tho thiclsct no
Was "ct upon by blue jays aTGin, a2d tho
result was tsGt tho driver could not hold
l'i.n and no ran away, breaking tho
wagon to pioc2G, and cndaAgcring tho
l.En Of tho driver. AS this state Of af-
fairs, ifcoatinucd, promised to DO dis
a3trolS to tho farm and tho farmer, tho
Offending jays have boon hunted down
and shot. Tho only explanation that
can be given Of this cnIaity of tho blue
JAYS against tho horse is that while no
vas browsing clonT tho cdgo of tho
thiclSct he pulled down branch Oh
whicH q f!Goi!y OF blue jays had thor
r2at GAl shook tho young ones out of
Gao most to tho ground. Tho jays and
r"lThbo9inG Jays sought rovcngo upon
tn Gcapoilcr OF this nest. and honco tho
bl5.2r and unrclcnting fight thoy mado
upon Linn.