Evening star., 1947-09-06
This and That
By Charles Z. TrdceDeH.
"THlRTY-FIFTH STREET.

Dear Sir:
Nov and then one of your readers writes to
you about how the blue jays carry on, flying at
them and attacking with beak and claw.
Where lived for time, here in George
town. there were wonderful grounds, with an
inviting wilderness in the corners, an old pear
tree, and the bole of an old tree covered with
ivy that would bloom about this time, and be-
come a mass Of sticky sweetness that attracted
every bee bug and bird.
After awhile, due to the food and water I
put out plentifully, we were visited by all the
creatures that could fly walk or crawl for blocks
around.
"The jays nested near and carried on in
great admiration over their chicks, and. of
course, cats came. too, as cats will, and the
birds were loud in their cries Of distress, and
then would rush to the rescue.
1T got so that they would shrek, and would
dash out and when Pa and Ma jay saw me
they would leave the matter in my hands, and
I would take the baby out of harms way.
ut became regular procedure, and was never
attacked by a jay, no matter what did to the
little jay.
Jays are nice birds to have about, friendly
and intelligent.
Thank you for your column. it helps bridge
the chasm between man and Gods smaller
creatures. Sincerely yours, N. McM."
X X
The cult of the jay is growing.
1t was not so many years ago that no one
had good word to say for this bird.
Despite the plain fact that it was one of
the handsomest of all native birds, few persons
had enough nerve, evidently, to speak up for it..
You see, 1t was the fashion to belittle the
bluejay, just as it was to lambaste the common
sparrow, and, more recently the startling.
These three-our own JAY, and the two i'm
portations, sparrow and startling, and nothing
good was to be admitted about them!
N,,o uyac 1urou oil ip0 hat ali or
about the jays eating the eggs of other birds,
as If this we're not a more or less common
trick in brddom.
Somebody was sure to tell how jay would
kill the babies of other birds. If you were to
ask him If he had ever seen it done, he would
reply, "Why, no, but read about It,"
X II
The truth is that the blue jay is as typical an
American bird as lives.
He is not bad, in any except comparative
sense.
His sense of fun, alone, would keep him in
line.
He is filled with life and at times, no doubt,
does do q bit of damage. Compared with that
true villain the grackle, he is a lamb in jay
clothing.
He bends those knees" and lets out shril
cry, notifying all and sundry that here he
comes.
Sneaking is not the fashion with him. He
wants every one to know he is around.
He repays birddom for the few eggs he takes
by acting as the perpetual alarm for the hawks,
cats and others on the prowl.
He has saved countless baby birds of other
species.
He has kept many from starving by his
trick of hiding nuts and seeds in the crevices
OF bark in woods
Persons who still attack him are old
fashioned, and perhaps nothing can be done
about them. Up and coming people today
know that 1t is silly to speak ill of the jay.
+hs+ toda ~ naonle nraiss n iook for Il in thsir
gardens. get bushel of fun out Of watching
1t and listening to 1t.
An old jaybird can make greater variety of
sounds than almost any other native bird. He
can scream, COO, meow, initiate rattles, and
whistle like small boy. He can curse and
sing lullabys. There Is nothing a jay can't do
II he is given q chance. and that's all any real
American asks.