CHICKADEE. 



Bird of the Merry Heart. 



Here is a picture of a bird that 

 is always merry. He is a bold, 

 saucy little fell()^Y, too, but Ave 

 all love him for it. Don't you 

 think lie looks some like the 

 Canada Jay that you saw in 

 April ^^ Birds?" 



I think most of you must have 

 seen him, for be stays with us all 

 the year, summer and winter. 

 H you ever beard him, you surely 

 noticed bow plainly be tells you 

 bis name. Listen — '' Cbick-a- 

 dee-dee; Chick-a-dee ; Hear, 

 bear me" — That's what be says 

 as be bops about from twig' to 

 twiii; in searcb of insects' e<2,"<^'s 

 and other bits for food. Xo 

 matter bow bitter the wind or 

 bow deep the snow, be is ahvays 

 around — tbe same jolly, careless 

 little fellow, chirping- and twit- 

 tering bis notes of good cheer. 



Like the Yellow Wai'blei's on 

 page 169, Chickadees like best 

 to make tbeii' home in an old 

 stump or bole in a tree — not very 

 bigb from the ground. Some- 

 times they dig for themselves a 

 new bole, but this is only when 

 they cannot find one that suits 

 them. 



Tbe Chickadee is also called 

 Black-capped Titmouse. H you 

 look at bis picture you w^ill see 

 bis black cap. You'll have to 

 ask someone why he is called 

 Titmouse. I think Cbickadee 

 is tbe prettier name, don't you? 



If you want to get well 

 acquainted wnth this saucy little 

 bird, you want to watch for him 

 next winter, when most of the 

 birds have g-one south. Throw 

 him crumbs of bread and be will 

 soon be so tame as to come right 

 up to the door step. 



164 



