Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-06-17
FIGHTING cAaADa .zys.
Two Birds Have desperate Ess ,nnfss
Over Dead spAEse:s.

Two Birds Have desperate gRe ,nnfos
Over Dead sp4r=e=.
In his Cambridge mnscnm Mr.. win
lam Brewster hes two live Canadian
Jays fPcrisorcus caDadcpsis, which be
canght while etcain?cd at Umbagog
lake, Ne.
] will cali one 81 the birds Jack,
name by wi,ie; lie il locally known in
the lake region, and the other Bob.
Both are now kept IN one large. roomy
cage and appeared to be the best Of
friends, possibly owing to there having
been no canso Tor falling out, but re-
Gently they lad regular ssset tor
which witnessed.
Both birds being NATURALLY fond OF
flesh and having had none for several
days ] shot IN English sparrow with
which TO feed them. Cutting On the
wings, feet, head and tail, aud remov-
ing the feathers, approached the cage
with the body in my fingers. Imrne-
diafely Jack came to the wire bars TO
receive my present. which he undoubt-
edly believed was meant entirely and
solely for him. He grasped it in his
claws, and hopping to perch began
tearing of pieces Of flesh and swallow
ing them Will apparent relish and In
great haste. while Bob looked on, evi-
IDENTIFY astonished at Jacks appetite
and wondering whether enough would
be left to swear by when his turn
came. Jack was at last forced to rest
from his greedy efforts, and when the
luli came Bob. who had been watch
ing from the corner of his eye, made q
dash at his companion and the food
fell to the bottom Of the cage.
Bob was there, however. evidently
intending to make the most of the stu
alton, but Jack could not stand by and
see Bob thus enjoying himself without
making some effort in his own behalf,
for like the dog in the manager he did not
intend to let Bob have it all, even
though he could not eat it himself. So
he Jumped on him and fastened his
claws as firmly in Bob's back as he had
previously done in the body of the spar
row, and began pecking him in the top
of the head At first no attention was
paid to this annoyance beyond an oc-
casional shake or futter of the wings.
either made to dislodge his enemy or
else to regain his balance or keep from
falling over backward. but Jack pecked
viciously. occasionally turning his head
to one side after taking good hold,
as if endeayoring to tear out a piece be-
tween Bob's ears. and this, too, every
time just as the latter raised his head
to swallow at last Bob could not
stand this any longer.
The tremendous pecks received ia
the back nf the head, and more than
all the gripping pains in the small Of
his back where Jack claws were plant
ed, caused him to forget his appetite
and raised his ''dander, = and turning
partially over on the right side he
caught Jack left handler This
wrung from his victim cry of pain
and landed him sprawling on the bot
tom of the cage, where he tipped over
the dish Of drinking water. which
soaked them both Neither would let
go his hold, but kept cIawing, pecking,
scratching. rolling over and over, all
the while uttering loud. discorslant
notes, which plainly indicated they
were not only furious but under great
stress of pain.
At length. fearing the birds might in
their anger destroy one another. thus
ending the whole affair with tragedy.
took the cage down from where it
was hanging in order TO separate them;
but only with considerable difficulty
could this be accomplished, it being
actually necessary to pull them apart.
They finally resumed their accustomed
places on the perch, while the bone
of contention" lay upon the floor
Both birds, with soiled and dripping
plumage, were pitiful looking objects
Jack, who had the best of the fight up
to receiving the left handler, appeared
in the better condition of the two, but
looked as though the food so hastily
swallowed had become slightly dis
placed As for Bob he seemed to feel
the abuse and shameful treatment
keenly, hung his head, and half closing
one eye, as though that member had
been injured. refused to be comforted