22 NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



a winter day. He had pulled from its resting 

 place the larva of a caterpillar wrapped in its 

 thick, tough cocoon, and was holding it with 

 his claws to a limb while he pecked away at it 

 for dear life, trying to break through the 

 tough, leathei'like covering. I went near him 

 to see how he did it, when he attempted to 

 pick up his morsel with his beak and fly 

 farther away with it ; but it proved too large 

 for him to handle easily, and so it tumbled 

 down into the deep snow. 



Down scampered the bird after it, almost 

 immersing his little body in the snow. But I 

 reached the spot before he could get a good 

 hold on the larva, and so he flew reluctantly 

 away. The chrysalis case was broken at <me 

 side, proving that the bird's efforts had not 

 been ud availing. Not wishing to rob him of 

 his dinner, I placed the larva on the fork of a 

 limb, and stepped back some distance, when, 

 after sundry fits and starts, which said, " No, I 

 guess I won't," and then, " Yes, I guess I will," 

 Master Tit flew back to his luncheon and 

 finished it with much gusto. Another titmouse 

 on the same day found a nest of spider's eggs 

 in a clump of dead leaves, and forthwith dis- 

 patched them without saying by your leave. 



The black-capped chickadees are also con- 



