34 NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



sweet whistle of the black-capped tomtit fell 

 on my ear. It seemed like a silvery arrow fly- 

 ing through the nipping, frosty air. 



A little farther on there were crested tits, 

 nuthatches, kinglets, and woodpeckers in abun- 

 dance, and one robin, with a blushing breast 

 that made him look as if he had taken a bath 

 in red paint. A crested tit flew to a little snag 

 sticking in the ground, and drew out some- 

 thing that he relished from the splintered end. 

 On examining the branch, I could see the little 

 pocket in which the delicacy had been stored. 

 The bird had probably put it there in the 

 autumn for winter use, thrifty little husband- 

 man that he was. 



But the most cunning bird trick I saw that 

 day was performed by the brown tree creeper. 

 It was only the second time that I had seen 

 the antic. You must remember that this odd 

 bird never perches, but always creeps up or 

 clings to the side of a tree or branch. How do 

 you suppose he manages to preen his feathers 

 after he has taken a bath ? On that day he 

 clung to the trunk of an oak and put his robes 

 in order with his bill. He would often perk 

 up his tail in a most cunning way as he reached 

 back to arrange some of the (piills. At length 

 he flew to a slanting limb, ^vhere he could hold 



