"The Blue Jay is a queer bird, who can twist himself into all sorts of shapes.

He sits one way when he sings, another when he is watching out for danger, and when he calls he is too funny for anything--he humps himself up and drops his tail as if he was falling apart, and then squawks!" [Illustration: Blue Jay.] "I see that you know this bird very well," said the Doctor.

"Have you seen his nest ?" "Once.

It was in the miller's woods, half-way up in a chestnut tree, and built just like a Crow's, only much smaller.

That season one of the Jays whistled and carried on till I thought there were ever so many birds together, and then laughed at me! They come round the mill for sweepings in winter, but they are almost as shy as Crows." When Olaf came with a basket and some short-handled hoes, the Doctor told Dodo she might take off her shoes and stockings and go down on the sandbar with Nat and Olaf, to dig clams for the chowder for dinner.
"More niceness!" screamed Dodo.