284 THE WINTER BIRDS. 



New England States, but often enough to be an acquaint- 

 ance of the generality of observers. This bird, like the 

 Eobin, has gained the enmity of that conscientious class 

 of people who cut down their fruit-trees that the boys 

 may not have the temptation set before them to break 

 the Eighth Commandment. The Eed-headed Wood- 

 pecker seems to be in this respect more mischievous 

 even than the Robin, for he not only takes cherries, but 

 carries off the finest apples and feeds upon the Indian- 

 corn when in the milk. The question is often raised, 

 therefore, with regard to the usefulness of this bird ; and 

 it will be answered according as the person interro- 

 gated takes a view of its general utility in the econ- 

 omy of nature, or of its mischievousness as a consumer 

 of fruit. Mr. George W. Eice, of West Newton, pre- 

 serves his cherry-trees for the exclusive benefit of the 

 Eobins. If they do not take all the cherries, he has 

 what they leave; but he considers the fruit more val- 

 uable for the benefit of the Robins than for any other 

 purpose. Perhaps, however, since all men are not so 

 wise, we should say, " Cut down aU your fruit-trees and 

 imitate the generosity of those men whom we occasion- 

 ally hear of, who choose to perform this sacrifice of their 

 own property rather than to shoot the boys." 



THE BROWN CREEPER. 



Another of the companions of the Chickadee is the 

 Brown Creeper, a bird of similar habits, often seen mov- 

 ing in a spiral direction around the trunks and branches 

 of trees, and when conscious of being observed, keeping 

 on the farther side of a branch. He is more frequently 

 seen in winter than in summer, wdien he is concealed by 

 the foliage. The different birds I have named as com- 

 panions of the Chickadee often assemble by seeming 



