The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-05
STORY OF A BLUEJAY.



New York Tribune.
Frank NJ Chapmans talk before the Au-
dubon Society at Delmonico's yesterday
was beautiful little idyll of bird life. and
the pictures of nests on beach or in wood
land were glimpses into the heart of nature.
Perhaps the story of his Investigations
into the family life of the bluejay was the
most interesting of all. Finding a bluejay's
nest low on a solitary pine. in an excellent
position for photographing it. he had erect
ed close by a paper Enclosure. supposed TO
represent the trunk of tree. Ii looked so
very unlike the trunk of a tree that he
knew no self-respecting bluejay would be
deceived by il. so he covered ii with vines.
Having parted the branches around the
nest and tied them back, so to leave liz in
plain view, he thereupon entered into his
bower and set his camera for action.
In the nest were five little bluejays. six
days old They had hitherto been fed, prob
ably, every five minutes of the day. Now,
however. although the seeker for knowl-
edge waited patiently for an hour and
half, nothing came to the nest. Then there
was swift, silent rush, a downward glance
of blue wings, and the mother bird was at
her nest one instant and away. Frightened
at the changes about her home she feared
10 return, for death TO herself meant death
to the little ones. This was plain enough,
but how explain the silence of the blind,
naked babies in the nest? They must have
never peeped; even when the mother re-
turned-a time when they used to rend
the air with the shrieks from their gaping
mouths-they lay like the dead. BY some
note inaudibIe to the photographer she had
managed to warn the babies OF danger. and
the blind, naked little things gave instinc-
obeyed some unheard command is shown by
the fact that young birds have no sense of
fear in their helpless days They learn to
fear only when able to do something in
tharr axurfa 1nfn
Not wishing to starve the little family.
Mr.. Chapman bethought himself to place
a stuffed bluejay. discarded museum spec
linen, on a pole close by the nest.
PRESTO, Change
Back came the mother with rush, and
each little bluejay opened it's beak and
ted with perfect freedom and confidence,
the old bird lending her pretty form to sew
eral photograph plates during the opera
ton.
Astonished at the pacifying effect of the
old dummy bluejay. Mr.. Chapman put lit
tie stuffed screechowl on the branch close
beside the nest. Now, there is no love lost
between the bluejay and the screechowi. A
regular Montague and Capulet feud exists
between their houses. So, when this poor,
detected. little museum dummy was seen at
fairly screeched with rage, and flew hither
and yon, crazed with excitement. After a
few moments of this they withdrew to the
| forest, not to escape, but to talk il over.
They chartered rapidly. using a certain
conversational note which a bluejay never
ments the nsn Of bae e Wss Of me
mother bird returned. and, perching dis
creetly over the screechowl. literally jumped
| on him.
1.-The camera" said Mr. Chapman. grave
| ly. has not been invented which could have
recorded that motion. The little pine was
sent as with an explosion of bluejay. This
was all saw
| And upon the screen appeared a detail of
| pine tree, with large, shadowy blur in the
| center.
| But the little screechowI was wired to
the branch, and his only response to this
| fierce assault was to swing solemnly over.
! The first round over, the mother bird sat
| on branch with an expression of wild
| amaze in her keen, black eye. What man.
| ner of screechowl was this, that could hang
| to Dough by his heels, with his head
pointing downward? Perhaps the little
| bluejay thought of ghosts or other super
| natural agencies at work. CONSERVATION
| reigned until her ancient enemy was re-
| moved.
Ten days after the bird lover visited the
nest again. The babies all had their clothes
| on now, and, having reached days of dis
cretion had sense enough to be afraid. All
| promptly tumbling out of the nest to escape
| the intruder, he picked them up and set
| them all on a branch to have their pictures
| taken.
| II will leave to your imagination" said
| little bluejays to pose for their pictures all
| at the same time.
1T is scarcely allowable he continued,
Ito ascribe to birds human thoughts and
| feelings which are not warranted by any
knowledge we possess of them. Still, 1t did
seem seem as b IL those ,d ave little biuejsys under
| snapped the camera once / said: Aren't
you all very hungry? And this was what
| they replied
| And on to the screen came a picture of
| five gaping mouths, opened so wide that
| the five little bodies of the five little blue
| jays on the twigs were quite hidden.
| In the same entertaining manner the lee
turer discoursed of the home life of the
tern and the coot, the pelican and the os-
| prey.
"Citizen Bird" had evidently many
| friends, for the hall was crowded with
children and fashionably dressed women