That was because musicians and painters used to go round with long hair looking like jays.
"Ethel Morton at Chautauqua"
Mabell S. C. Smith
He wasn't on friendly terms either with the jays and magpies.
"The Song of Songs"
Hermann Sudermann
Occasionally we had a haunch of venison, and Doctor Cabot added to our larder several kinds of ducks, wild turkeys, chachalachas, quails, pigeons, doves, parrots, jays, and other smaller birds.
"Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, Vol. I."
John L. Stephens