30 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The following morning the Chickadees looked as if they were 

 really enjoying the greater amount of fresh air the modification of 

 their nest permitted. They were squirming about when I approached 

 but soon snuggled down into place as they saw me nearing the nest. 

 I seated myself on the ground less than four feet from the stump ; 

 occasionally a little head was thrust above the edge of the nest and, 

 a pair of black, beady eyes regarded me intently for an instant, then 

 the owner snuggled back into place. I counted six birds in the 

 nest, and after a while discovered a sturdy young Chickadee in a 

 tree just over the stump. Both parent birds devoted a great deal 

 of time to this morsel of Chickadee flesh. Truly, it was a most in- 

 teresting young bird. To be sure its Chickadee was in baby lan- 

 guage, and sounded a bit like tweedledee, but that was to be expected. 

 The first time I saw the bird move, it flew a yard and did very well. 

 In its next short hops among thicker branches, it almost lost its bal- 

 ance two or three times but always succeeded, at last, in grasping a 

 branch. Atom the second, I believe, fell from the nest, but it imme- 

 diately gained a footing by vigorously flapping its wings and grasp- 

 ing with its sharp claws. This tiny Chickadee had such a time 

 clinging to the branch that I put it in the nest again, for which it 

 ungratefully hissed at me. 



Very soon after I took up my stand near the nest, the parent 

 birds came to the edge of the nest with beaks ladened with moths, 

 spiders, and caterpillars. While the eager nestlings were pleading 

 for food, they flew away to the fledgling in the tree and fed it. 

 They continued to bring this little fellow food until the young bird 

 refused to open its beak. At this early hour the parents seemed 

 intent on tolling the young from the nest. Probably my presence 

 so near the nest and in full view, made some difference in their plans. 

 At least, they made no further efforts to tantalize the young with 

 food while I was there. 



Just at this stage one of the parent birds did a peculiar thing. 

 She plunged head downward, or burrowed would be better, under 

 the nest full of birds and lifted them all on her back. Before leav- 



