BIRD ODDITIES 293 



coffee on a strong, roughly built sled drawn by a 

 sedate old horse, as the lumber roads are far 

 from smooth and adapted only to a very slow 

 pace, if one is to travel safely. Thus left alone 

 for several hours each day my friend turned to 

 the birds for amusement. 



When, in late November, the first real stress of 

 winter came with the deeper snows, a flock of 

 Red Crossbills took up their temporary abode 

 in the evergreen trees near the camp. For these 

 he sprinkled bits of food on the snow, at first 

 withdrawing at once that his presence might 

 not keep them from the feast. But very quickly 

 they learned of his benevolence, and his appear- 

 ance was the signal for them to drop down from 

 the treetops and gather about him. The small 

 flock of Crossbills grew into a large one as the 

 winter advanced, and they were joined by a 

 great number of "Chit-a-wits, " as he calls them, 

 a bird which I believe to be either the Tree 

 Sparrow or Redpoll. 



Learning their great fondness for salt, he 

 sprinkled their food generously with it, and 

 threw out for them the brine from the pork 

 barrels, the salt of which they eagerly devoured. 

 In a few weeks a colony of more than a hundred 

 came to depend upon him for their daily food 

 supply. So tame did they become under this 

 gentle treatment, that his signal whistle was in- 

 stantly followed by the whir of many wings as 

 down they came, lighting on his shoulder, hat 

 and arms, even peeking into the pockets of his 

 coat, where were stowed away a few choice bits 

 of cake well seasoned with salt. In a short time 



