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TtlE OSPkliV. 



on the snow, frozen in small lumps. The 

 Chickadees would seize a small liimp of per- 

 haps two or three beans, fly to a limb with it 

 in their claws, and holding it firmly against 

 the limb, usually with one toot, would peek it 

 vigorously, striking between the widely-spread 

 toes. So energ-etic were the blows that 1 re- 

 member thinking: "If you should miss your 

 aim, little fellow, you would certainly be 

 minus a toe!" 



In the spring of 1893 I first noted another 

 habit «'hich shows the Chickadee's intelli- 

 gence. Around the shore of a pond, in some 

 places, is a fringe of small trees — poplar, tir, 

 birch, alder, and numerous white maples. I 

 noticed that the Chickadees were in plenty 

 among these trees, but thovight nothing of 

 it until my attention was attracted to the 

 small maples, uumy of which had a wet streak, 

 as of water, running down the trunk. Closer 

 examination revealed the fact that the stream 

 was sap issuing from two or three small, 

 oddly-shaped punctures through the bark. 

 As 1 stood wondering wdiat could have made 

 them, a Chickadee alig-hted a few feet from me, 

 and, clinging to the trunk, straightened back 

 and struck two or three strong, slanting 

 blows in Woodpecker fashion with its bill. 

 Immediately a small stream of sap issued 

 from the wound and coursed slowly down the 

 trunk, and my comprehension was suddenly 

 quickened. The Chickadees were tapping the 

 trees! Many of the birds were around the 

 streams of sap already flowing, plainly drink- 

 ing it, frequently leaving for an excursion 

 through the trees in search of other food, 

 then returning for another drink; and, when- 

 ever the flow of sap was not satisfactory, tap- 

 ping the trees anew. Kegularly every spring 

 1 have noticed this habit. In 1896 the birds 

 seemed to have a mania for tree-tapping, and 

 there was hardly a white maple along the 

 shore of the pond that was not covered with 

 wounds. Usually only two or three punctures 

 were made in one place. On one small limb 

 about an inch in diameter, in a length of four- 

 teen inches I counted ninety-five distinct punc- 

 tures; but many of them did not penetrate the 

 bark and no sap flowed from them. So great 

 a number so close tog'ether is unusual, and 

 very likely the bird made them merely for 

 amusement. I closely examined the other 

 trees to see if any but maples were marked, 

 but could find none. A number of ina])les 

 that had been killed by the water were also 

 unmarked, though they closely resembled the 

 living trees. I wonder when our intelligent 

 little friends I learned to tap trees, and which 

 trees to tap. 



Nesting operations are commenced late in 

 April. The birds almost invariably excavate 

 the nesting cavity, rarely using a natural one. 



I think the cavity is used but once, a nCAv 

 one being made every season. Young growths 

 and bush-grown pastures, in which are small 

 dead stubs and old rotten stumps, are pre- 

 ferred to large woods, and no preference is 



shown for a locality near water. The small 

 dead pojjlar stubs in the j'oung growths are 

 most frequently used, though nests are often 

 found in stumps so rotten they may be easily 

 pulled to pieces. The cavities are found at 

 heights varying from one to fifteen feet from 

 the ground, and are from six to nine inches in 

 depth. Whenever the stub selected is firm 

 enough, the birds excavate a neat cavity, with 

 smooth, round entrance and well-chiseled 

 walls; but most holes are made in wood too 

 rotten for good work. Frequently very small 

 stubs are used. A nest found June 4, 1S9G, 

 was excavated in a white birch stub so small 

 that the wood and inner bark was entirely 

 removed from one side, the outer bark only 

 forming the wall. The eggs were hatching 

 when found, and the bird allowed herself to 

 be stroked on the head and back before leav- 

 ing the nest. The onl}^ nest in a natural 

 cavity I ever saw was found by a friend May 

 31st. It was in a small poplar tree so well 

 seasoned as to be very hard. The cavity was 

 so small that the eggs were laid in two layers, 

 four on the bottom and three on top. The 

 three were much incubated, but the lower 

 layer had evidently not received sufficient 

 heat, for the four eggs were addled. This 

 nest was almost entirely built of fur well 

 felted, and how the bird ever wove it, or sat 

 on the eg'gs in such narrow quarters, is a 

 mystery to me. 



One rainy day I was returning from a trip 

 afield, during which 1 had become well soaked 

 with rain, and while sitting on a knoll in a 

 young growth to empty the water out of my 

 boots, I noticed a pair of Chickadees digging 

 a hole in a stub just in front of me. The 

 birds were working quite regardless of the 

 rain. One entered the cavitj' and pecked out 

 a bit of wood, which it carried a short dis- 

 tance in its bill and dropped. While one was 

 carrying the bit away the other dug out an- 

 other piece which in turn was carried away. 

 Many cavities are made which never seem to 

 be used for nesting purposes. The nest is 

 composed of various soft materials, fur, moss, 

 fine barkstrips and wool being most fre- 

 quently used. These materials are woven and 

 felted together in the bottom of the cavity. 

 Occasionally a cover is woven into the edge 

 of the nest, which drops down over the eggs, 

 entirelj' concealing them when the bird is not 

 on the nest. I have found it over fresh eggs, 

 only, and I think it is pushed down into the 

 bottom of the nest soon after incubation com- 

 mences. The parent bird sits closely, often 

 refusing to leave the eggs until the nest cav- 

 ity has been broken into. Once established, 

 the birds are very loath to leave their chosen 

 home and will permit considerable investiga- 

 tion before deserting the nest. A cavity 

 broken into before the set is completed may 

 be patched by tacking a piece of bark over 

 the break, and left with reasonable certainty 

 of securing a full set of eggs at a later date. 



