Whiskey John in Colorado 187
aspect. and will steal anything in sight they can possibly pack off. One once carried away an "()ut-o'rsight" mousertrap with a dead mouse in it~—I presume he ate the mouse. but he forgot to bring back the trap. Around a camp or cabin they will become so tame as to eat from one‘s hand. and
WHISKEY JOHN PROSPECT] .\'c
pay regular visits to mines to feed on the refuse thrown out from the board- ing houses. It is amusing to watch one pick up a mouthful or two and swallow it. then take as much into its bill as it possibly can. look sidewise at you with an expression that seems to say. "What are you going to do about it?" then fly away with its load. I am sure birds must hide a great deal of what they carry away, for they soon come back for more. and it does not seem as if they could possibly eat it all.
A friend is living with his wife at a mine in the heavy timber, and the birds are quite numerous. and several are very tame. I took a number of pictures of the bird taking bread from my friend's hand: and others were taken by setting the camera on the ground. sprinkling crumbs at the desired spot and inducing the bird to come there, But do not think for a minute that. because the birds are so tame, it is easy to get good pictures of them. You see your bird in a tree, throw out a few crumbs as an induce- ment to him to come down; he hops onto another limb closer to you. then to the roof of the house. perhaps. then to the ground. cocks his head to one side and takes a look at you, hops about and picks up a crumb or two but is perhaps too far back for a picture: then two or three hops bring him up right close to the camera. for which he cares nothing. then off again in
