154 NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



cornbin within at least a quarter of a mile. 

 Of course, that nuthatch, or one of its brothers 

 or cousins, had stowed away that grain of corn 

 a few months before, just for such a time of 

 need as this. 



In the autumn I made a little discovery 

 which led me to add another item to the nut- 

 hatch's rather varied bill of fare. I was watch- 

 ing a couple of these birds hopping about on 

 the leafy ground, or pecking vigorously at some 

 dainty on the tree trunks. Fixing my eye on 

 one of the latter, I approached the place where 

 he was feeding, and found in a cranny of the 

 bark a cracked hickory-nut shell with part of 

 the kernel pecked out. I had driven the little 

 diner-out away from his repast before he had 

 finished it, for which act of rudeness he berated 

 me roundly, little malapert, as I doubtless de- 

 served. Then, to my surprise, I noticed that 

 the crevices of the bark contained many of 

 these broken shells rifled of their "goodies." 

 Some boy or man — or perhaps it was a squir- 

 rel — had been cracking hickory nuts at that 

 place in the woods, and the nuthatches were 

 having a jolly feast on the leavings. 



You must not suppose, however, that the 

 nuthatches vrere the only birds at my elbow on 

 the day of my tramp in the icy woods. «Tust 



