167 



seven of the little fellows went scuttling away through the 

 grass as fast as their wings and legs could carry them. Try 

 as we would, we could not get more than four of them at a 

 time and we could not persuade even one of those to sit still 

 and look respectable while we made a portrait of him. 



Fig. 230. YOUNG HOUSE WRENS. 



We did not disturb the remaining tenant and I am sure 

 that the chipmunks were delighted to see us take our final 

 departure. They probably also was glad to see the birds 

 go for they were not on friendly terms with one another. 

 Chipmunks have the unfortunate habit of sometimes tak- 

 ing birds' eggs from their nests^ a habit that forces birds 

 to try and drive them away from the immediate vicinity of 

 their homes. Whenever, therefore, Mr. Chipmunk appear- 

 ed on the stump or tree trunk, either the Downy or wren 

 was pretty sure to dash at him. He could easily escape the 

 onslaughts of Downy by dodging around the limb, but the 



