er, and dashes boldly
in pursuit of his more plainly attired neighbors who venture to intrude
upon his domain.

The Jay has a curious antipathy toward the owl, perching on trees
above it and keeping up a continual screeching. Some years ago an Ohio
gentleman was presented with a magnificent specimen of the horned owl,
which he kept for a time in a large tin cage. In favorable weather the
cage was set out of doors, when it would soon be surrounded by Jays,
much in the manner described of the Toucan, and an incessant screeching
followed, to which the owl appeared indifferent. They would venture
near enough to steal a portion of his food, the bars of his cage being
sufficiently wide apart to admit them. On one occasion, however, he
caught the tail of a Jay in his claws and left the tormentor without
his proud appendage.

The Jay remains with us throughout the year. He is one of the wildest
of our birds, the shyest of man, although seeing him most. He makes no
regular migrations at certain seasons, but, unless disturbed, will live
out his life close to his favorite haunts. His wings show him to be
unfitted for extended flight.

Jays are most easily discovered in the morning about sunrise on the tops
of young live oaks. Their notes are varied. Later in the day it is more
difficult to find them, as they are more silent, and not so much on the
tree tops as among the bushes.

The Jays breed in woods, forests, orchards, preferring old and very
shady trees, placing their nests in the center against the body, or at
the bifurcation of large limbs. The nest is formed of twigs and roots;
the eggs are from four to six.

THE BLUE JAY.

Something glorious, something gay,
Flits and flashes this-a-way!
'Thwart the hemlock's dusky shade,
Rich in color full displayed,
Swiftly vivid as a flame--
Blue as heaven and white as snow--
Doth this lovely creature go.
What may be his dainty name?
"Only this"--the people say--
"Saucy, chattering, scolding Jay!"

THE SWALLOW-TAILED INDIAN ROLLER.

Swallow-tailed Indian Rollers are natives of Northeastern Africa and
Senegambia, and also the interior of the Niger district. The bird is
so called from its way of occasionally rolling or turning over in its
flight, somewhat after the fashion of a tumbler pigeon. A traveller in
describing the habits of the Roller family, says:

"On the 12th of April I reached Jericho alone, and remained there i