Identifier: westernfield61905olym (find matches)
Title: Western field
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Olympic Club (San Francisco, Calif.) California Game and Fish Protective Associations
Subjects: Olympic Club (San Francisco, Calif.) California Game and Fish Protectice Associations Sports
Publisher: San Francisco
Contributing Library: San Francisco Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: San Francisco Public Library

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s common than has been supposed, andthe Bird Stomach Man is quite liable toknow what he is talking about. I oncewatched a pair of jays attacking the cocoonsof the tussock moth attached to a convenientfence, and in an hour or two, so effectivelydid they work, not a single larva was leftto tell the tale. John Burroughs assumesthat what one jay will do all jays will do,and if this is a fact their abnormal appetitefor tussock larvae must prove of untold valueto the fruitgrowers. Occasionally one ofthese saucy birds may nip off a few of yourchoicest cherries and laugh at you for not looking pleasant over it, and you may beready to declare him a stranger to modestyand forbearance, but is he your only ac-quaintance for whom you entertain the sameopinion? Have you never observed what a strongsense of humor the jays possess? You mayoften see a flock of them sitting in a treetoplistening to one of their party who is evi-dently telling an amusing tale. As a certain THE rACIlIC COAUT MAGAZINE 367
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EYKU MK LONG AND IXCiUISlTIVELY(BLUE JAY). point is reached you will hear interpolatedcomments and criticisms, but when the cli-max arrives they will fairly tumble off theirfeet with uproarious laughter. Now when the question of nesting andfamily cares occupy their attention, no slyeror more crafty birds are to be found. Nota sound on your life, and they slip about likesteely-blue shadows. A time for silence anda time for speech is an axiom they thoroughly appreciate at this eventful season,though naturally a noisy lot of chaps whenthere is nothing of importance on hand. Noone is more ready to attract public attentionthan they as the season advances, both bytheir rowdyish jay, jay and their autum-nal cry of mer lurp * in a soft minorwhich resounds through the gold-hung treeslike a plaintive requiem to the departingyear. Sometimes one seems to feel the person-ality of this bird—a subtle presentimentthat the creature understands and is not un-willing to communicate. This thought was f

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