THE CHICKADEE, 



17 



and other material, which are neatly woven together into a 

 compact structure and lined with hair. It was placed very 

 loosely among the top branches of a small spruce, about six 

 feet from the ground, and contained three fresh eggs of a 

 very "pale bluish-green color, sparingly marked with spots 

 and splashes of different shades of brown at the larger end. 

 Dimensions, 72 X 48, 72 X 47, 71 X 48." 



I once saw several of these birds which Mr. Bing of 

 Rochester had trapped and trained. One had a soft belt 

 around his body, under his wings, to which was fastened a 

 small chain and a bucket about as big as a thimble, with 

 which he drew water out of a deep dish, and drank. 

 Another had a tiny car on a platform outside the cage; and 

 as this little vehicle was fastened to the inside of the cage 

 by a chain and contained his food, he would draw it in 

 whenever he wished a repast. Even after witnessing all 

 this, I felt that, to me, the bird was but a stranger, for I 

 had never heard its song nor seen its nest. A closely allied 

 species or variety is found in Europe. The so-called Mealy 

 Redpoll may be regarded as a paler variety of the common 

 Redpoll — an Arctic race, not difficult to recognize, repre- 

 senting in America the true Mealy Redpoll {A. canescens) 

 of Greenland. The broad, whitish fringe of the plumage, 

 the elegant rose-white rump, and the pale, rosy breast give 

 a peculiar delicate beauty to this variety. 



THE CHICKADEE. 



I have finished my morning ramble, and am fairly seated in 

 my study, when lo ! a familiar voice calls me to the window. 

 Chickadee-dce-dce, chick, chick, chickadee, chickadee-dee-dee-dee ; 

 most cheerful and winning voice of a winter's day ! There 

 they are, little Black-capped Titmice or Chickadees, finding 

 a satisfactory repast in those frosted evergreens, where my 



