"This elegant bird," says Wilson, "is distinguished as a kind of beau
among the feathered tenants of our woods, by the brilliancy of his
dress. He possesses the mischievous disposition of the jay family, and
he seems particularly fond of exercising his malignant ingenuity
against the owl. No sooner has he discovered the retreat of one of
these, than he summons the whole feathered fraternity to his
assistance, who surround the glimmering _solitaire_, and attack him
from all sides, raising such a shout as might be heard, on a still day,
more than half a mile off. When, in my hunting excursions, I have
passed near this scene of tumult, I have imagined to myself that I
heard the insulting party, venting their respective charges with all
the virulence of a Billingsgate mob; the owl, meanwhile, returning
every compliment with a broad, goggling stare. The war becomes louder
and louder, and the owl, at length, forced to betake himself to flight,
is followed by his whole train of persecutors, until driven beyond the
boundaries of their jurisdiction."
_Anecdotes._--A gentleman in South Carolina gives an account of a blue
jay, which was brought up in his family, that had all the tricks and
loquacity of a parrot; pilfered every thing he could carry off, and hid
them in holes and crevices; answered to his name with great sociability
when called on; could articulate a number of words pretty distinctly;
and when he heard an uncommon noise, or loud talking, seemed impatient
to contribute his share to the general festivity, by a display of all
the oratorical powers he was possessed of.
"Having caught a jay in the winter season," says Mr. Bartram, "I turned
him loose in the greenhouse, and fed him with corn, the heart of which
he was very fond of. The grain being ripe and hard, the bird at first
found a difficulty in breaking it, as it would start from his bill when
he struck it. After looking about, as if considering a moment, he
picked up his grain, carried and placed it close up in a corner on the
shelf, between the wall and a plant-box, where being confined on three
sides, he soon effected his purpose, and continued afterwards to make
use of the same practical expedient."