SCRAPING ACQUAINTANCE. 151 



sought red -headed woodpecker. How appro- 

 priately patriotic he looked, at the home of 

 Washington, wearing the national colors, — red, 

 white, and blue ! After this he became abun- 

 dant about the capital, so that I saw him often, 

 and took much pleasure in his frolicsome ways ; 

 and, some years later, he suddenly appeared in 

 force in the vicinity of Boston, where he re- 

 mained through the winter months. To my 

 thought, none the less, he will always suggest 

 Mount Vernon. Indeed, although he is cer- 

 tainly rather jovial, and even giddy, he is to me 

 the bird of Washington much more truly than 

 is the solemn, stupid-seeming eagle, who com- 

 monly bears that name. 



To go away from home, even if the journey 

 be no longer than from Massachusetts to the 

 District of Columbia, is sure to prove an event 

 of no small interest to a young naturalist ; and 

 this visit of mine to the national capital was no 

 exception. On the afternoon of my arrival, 

 walking up Seventh Street, I heard a series of 

 loud, clear, monotonous whistles, which I had 

 then no leisure to investigate, but the author 

 of which I promised myself the satisfaction of 

 meeting at another time. In fact, I think it 

 was at least a fortnight before I learned that 

 these whistles came from the tufted titmouse. 

 I had been seeing him almost daily, but till 



