A Provident Bluejay
A Provident Bluejay.
A singular incident touching upon the economy of jays and indicating a reasoning power, which I am not backward in ascribing to jay intelligence, occurred this morning (Dec. 19, 1899) as I looked through a window in the dining room. I saw a California Jay hopping on the ground about thirty feet distant, appearing at first to have an extension bill. The extra length was accounted for when I saw that the jay carried a dark object and seemed to have some dark design.
He hopped a few yards in the grass and then deposited his burden, pecking it down as if into the earth. The bird then seemed to be plucking pieces of grass and laying them on the spot. He ceased this operation in a moment, flitted toward the fence and picked or excavated another darker object from the ground in the young grass, and flew with this in its beak to a low branch. Here he transferred it to his claws and pecked at it with apparent enjoyment. I watched him until he had disposed of the kernel, scrambling at times to maintain his hold and keep from losing the dainty morsel. Dropping the unpalatable fragment he then flew to rejoin his mate or a “pal” in an acacia tree. The discarded pieces proved upon investigation to be decayed almond shell.
I had not lost sight of the spot where the jay had evidently buried some plunder to await a more convenient season, and, in fact, it was fortunately marked by a white feather on the ground. I made for the spot, taking a direct course through the window, and after a careful search, discovered where the bird had artfully hidden a prize in the grass which stood about four inches high. It was a perfect almond and was not imbedded in the earth, but neatly tucked into a little hole and hidden by blades of grass. It was not decayed and breaking a corner showed a perfect kernel.
The nut had been filched from my neighbors ’ yard, making my premises a recourse for stolen goods! There is reason in most things, and as the jay was hungry he did not hide away this good almond for nothing. Mr. Jay is shrewd. My explanation is that the California Jay is especially fond of nuts with a wormy flavor. He has argued from experience that lying in the damp, they mould and probably gather living delicacies of which I wot not. What simpler then, that, having tweaked off the nut from the branch, he should place it where time will do the rest, where, one day, he will dine en regale?
H. R. TAYLOR.
Alameda, Cal.
