700 



Rural School Leaflet. 



Fig. 36. — Nimbus. 

 find in winter : the chickadee, the nuthatch, and the brown creeper. 



December 

 is a good 

 month to be- 

 g i n bird 

 study. There 

 are not so 

 many to be 

 seen, and in 

 the more 

 open land- 

 scape one can 

 find the m 

 much more 

 easily. Let 

 us, therefore, 

 start our 

 year's w o r k 

 with three 

 that you may 

 be able to 



Chickadee. 



■Description. — About five inches long; black cap with white side 

 pieces ; black throat ; gray back ; under parts, light. 



Ohscn'ations. — i. It is a short-billed bird with a long tail. 2. It 

 does not creep. 3. The chickadee has two distinct calls, Chick-a^dcc-dcc, 

 and the high, sweet phochc call. 



This, is the most friendly of the winter birds. If you can imitate 

 the pJwebe notes, he will answer you, and come near you in the most 

 friendly way. Naturalists have been able to coax the chickadee to come 

 very close to them. 



Brown Creeper. 



Description. — A little longer than the chickadee; the upper parts 

 brown, white, and rusty ; white on the under parts. 



Observations. — Note the stiff pointed tail feathers. A\'atch the brown 

 creeper going up a tree trunk. Notice whether he ever climbs with his 

 head downward. Notice whether he usually begins at the base of the 

 tree or high up the trunk. 



The White Breasted yiithatch. 

 Description- — Almut six inches long; black crown; gray back; white 

 face and under parts. 



