Our illustration shows the color and markings of the long-crested jay. Its home is in the wooded regions of the southern Rocky Mountains, southern Arizona and the northwestern portion of Mexico. It breeds throughout this range. Dr. Coues has said regarding this bird that it is "a stranger to modesty and forbearance, and the many qualities that charm us in some little birds and endear them to us; he is a regular fillibuster, ready for any sort of adventure that promises sport or spoil, even if spiced with danger." In spite of these characteristics they are very quiet during the nesting season and the female is very devoted to her nest and will almost allow herself to be touched before flying from her eggs. Their nests are bulky and usually placed in out-of-the-way places, in low, bushy, cone-bearing trees. They seemingly will eat anything of a nutritious nature. Flying insects, larvae, beetles, flies, spiders, eggs, and even small birds, seem to be palatable to their tastes. Yet they are principally vegetarians feeding upon seeds, hard fruits and berries when these are obtainable. The Steller's jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), of which the long-crested form is a geographical variety, is a resident of the Northwestern portion of North America ranging from northern California to southern Alaska and eastward to the Cascade Mountains. THE SUNRISE SERENADE. "Ah walk out when de eas' am red Among de timbehs tall; Ah heah a mockeh oberhead, De sweetest froat ob all. 'Why do yo' sing?' Ah stop en ask, En den Ah heah her say; 'Dis am mah daily sunup task, A sahanade to Day.' "Songs ob sunrise joy when de darkness fades away, De mockeh in de treetop sing a welcum song to Day. "Ah brush among de meddeh lan's Wheh yelleh-jackets hum; Ah look up wheh det dogwood spans, En heah det solemn drum. Oh. Misteh Gol' Wing, why yo' drum Up yandah in de tree? 'Ah drum jes' kase de day hab cum,' Is how he answeh me. "Drum! drum! drum! Yo' see his movin' haid, De peckeh drum a welcum when de eas' am fiah red. "Ah thrash among de bramble vines, A-brushin' off de dew; A jaybird callin' fum de pines, A catbird chimes in, too, 'What's all dis racket fum yo' two?' En den Ah heah dem say: 'We's callin' kase de sun am new, En de night hab gone away.' "De jaybird en de catbird, dey call en welcum day, Dey's happy when de sun cum up en bathe with sumac spray. "En all aroun' de timbeh lan' Deh watch foh cummin' day; En Night she shake Mis' Mawnin's han,' En den she fade away. Den ebehy songsteh break de hush, De hummin' bird he hum; Mis' Quail she wistle in de brush, De gol' wing peckeh drum. "En all bus' out in melody det echo fro' de haze, When de sun he smile in crimson en de dewdrops tuhn a-blaze." --Victor A. Hermann, in The Chicago Daily News.