The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-08-07
ENRACSO BIRDS.
How a Horse was Set Upon bya Quartet
of Biae Jays.

How a Horse was Set Upon by a Quartet
of Biae Jays.
Along one side of field on the
Movers farm. says a Lancaster (Pa.)
CORRESPONDENT of the y. Y. Sun, there
is a thick growth high and strong.
MANY kinds Of small birds find this
thicket most favorable for their nest
ing places, and in the spring cattle and
horses that pasture in the field browse
on the sweet and tender young foliage.
The owner Of the farm turned in the
field to pasture few days ago NUM-
Der of cattle, among them two bay
horses. The farmer was working IN
a field not far from til" thicket, when
he heard blue jays making more noise
than usual even with these noisy
birds. Looking up 10 see what the
trouble might be, he saw four blue
Jaws engaged in a fierce assault on one
of the hoi SEES They were darling at
him from all sides, pecking ut his face,
striking him in the neck and sides. and
about the head, in Il manner that was
evidence enough that the horse had
offended them in some aggravated
way. The poor horse ran first one
way and then another to escape the
fury of the excited birds, but he was
headed off whichever way he turned
by the birds dashing iiercely in his
face and assailing him with beak and
claw Fearing that the sharp-billed
and persistent jays would blind the
horse, the farmer hurried to his aid.
Even after he arrived on the scene and
took the horse by the name and led
him away from the spot the Infatuated
birds how | about and followed him
for a long distance, making frequent
descents upon the horses body, and
inficting blows that made him vince
and lump as if he were being deeply
prodded with 4 spur. The farmer led
the horse TO the other side Of the field,
and the birds returned to the thicket
where they held Il noisy consultation
at particular spot, and seemed TO be
in great tribulation.
To discover If possible what had
aroused the extreme anger of the blue
laws against the horse the farmer
walked over 10 the thicket. and at the
spot where the clamOr of the jays WAS
so great he found the dead bodies of
three newly Matched blue jays. The
old birds circled about him furiOusly
moment and then dashed away across
the field to where the horse had re-
sumed its feeding and renewed their
attack on him. The farmer hurried
back to the protection Of the horse
again. The poor animal was dashing
franticallv about, while the birds
pecked and struck him at every yul-
nerable point. The farmer rescued
the horse the second time and the
birds flew back to the bushes. Every
time the horse was left TO himself how
ever, the blue jays would renew the
attack on him and the owner of the
horse was at last compelled to take the
animal back to the barn. The jays
made no attack on the other horse,
which was feeding not far from the
thicket.
The next day the horse that had ex-
cited the luminosity of the blue jays
was turned in the lot again, but he
had not been there only Il short time
when the birds discovered his presence
and attacked him as fiercely as they
had the previous day, and he was
taken home. A road passed on the 9TH
y
travelled by teams. The second day of
the attack of the jays on the bay horse
lie Was hitchcd up to drive to neigh
boring village on the road mentioned.
As he was being driven past the thicket
he was set upon by blue jays again,
and ;ne result was that the driver
could not hold him and he ran away,
breaking the wagon to pieces and en-
dangering the life of his driver. AS
this state of affairs if continued prom
ised 10 be disastrous to the farm and
the farmer the offending jays have
been hunted down and shot. The only
explanation that can be given of this
enmity of the blue jays against the
horse is that while he was browsing
along the edge of the thicket he pulled
down branch on which Il family of
blue jays had their nest aud shook the
Young ones out of the nest to the
ground. The jays and neighboring
jays sought revenge upon the deSpoiler
of this nest hence the bitter and unre-
lenting fight they made upon him.