382 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



"EATING THE SUET UNCONCERNEDLY WHILE 



I WAS STANDING ONLY A FEW FEET 



AWAY." 



away, protesting, and a chicadee took 

 his place. It developed, however, that 

 a white-breasted nuthatch considered 

 this particular feeding-station his own 

 property, ami when he appeared the 

 chickadee made haste to get out of the 

 way. The nuthatch was remarkably 

 fearless, eating the suet unconcernedly 

 while I was standing only a few feet 

 away." At my next visit, December 

 16: "I took a walk this morning, and 

 while coming home passed the 'Elm 

 Feeding Station.' Chickadees were flut- 

 tering about, and occasionally one of 

 them alighted near the suet and com- 

 menced to eat ; presently the nuthatch 



appeared, and drove away his smaller 

 relatives. After getting him accus- 

 tomed to my presence, I took a position 

 near the elm tree, and rested my hand, 

 holding another piece of suet, on a 

 branch just below the suet which was 

 fastened up. The nuthatch, which had 

 been scampering about in an adjoining 

 tree, soon flew to the elm and com- 

 menced creeping down towards the 

 suet. He fell to eating without regard- 

 ing me, and after a short time scuttled 

 down the tree trunk to my hand, picked 

 out a chunk from the suet I was hold- 

 ing, and flew away in great happiness 

 over his own daring. Presently another 

 nuthatch appeared, and crept head- 

 downwards toward the suet in the us- 

 ual fashion. He kept on the opposite 

 side of the trunk, however, and now 

 and then poked his head around the 

 bark to see whether I was acting in a 

 suspicious manner. When he finally 

 reached the suet he didn't dare relax 

 his guard and commence to eat, but 

 clung there, head extended, and looked 

 at me in a most comical way. The 

 survey must have proved unsatisfac- 

 tory to him, for he soon flew oft* with- 

 out appeasing his appetite. Then a 

 chickadee appeared and industriously 

 pecked at the suet, with his tail feath- 

 ers almost brushing my fingers. A 

 few minutes later the first nuthatch 

 flew up again, and fell to eating in the 



TICKED OUT A CHUNK FROM THE 

 WAS HOLDING." 



SUET I 



