Birds of Ore o;o7i and WasJtington 225 



THE CHICKADEES. 



The Chickadee is assured of the friendship 

 of every one who knows him. This little ani- 

 mated bunch of feathers, with his cheery man- 

 ner and happy song, may be seen in the winter 

 time, scouring- the limbs of our fruit-trees for 

 the eggs which will later, unless destroyed, 

 become canker-worms and other pests of the 

 orchard. 



His dress befits his manner, and taking him 

 altogether, one might be justified for once in 

 using the phrase, *' a love of a bird." 



In the colder regions of the Eastern States, 

 nothing gives more cheer to a frigid winter 

 morning, with the mercury at 20 degrees below 

 zero, than this happy little creature, singing out 

 into the cold air his oft-repeated " Chick-a-dee — 

 dee-dee," while he moves from limb to limb. 



May he often find, in winter time, that, in 

 gratitude for his merry song and his helpfulness 

 in the orchard, some human friend has tied a 

 small piece of beef-suet or cheese-rind upon a 

 tree to add a little variety to his menu. With 

 a little leading and care, this tempting provision, 

 {)lace(l upon a l)oard at tlie window, will bring 



