THE NUTHATCH AND CHICKADEE FAMILY 21 
The nuthatch is fond of his mate, and takes 
good care of her in nesting time. He feeds her 
and the young till they leave the nest. 
Mr. Fowler tells a story of an English nut- 
hatch who is almost the same as one of ours. 
Some bird-lovers were in the habit of putting 
nuts on a window-sill for these birds to carry 
away. One day, to see what they would do, 
somebody put one in a glass tumbler. The birds 
saw the nut and tried to get it through the glass, 
pecking and hammering at it a long time. 
Finally, one got tired or discouraged and flew 
up to a perch over the tumbler. Then he hap- 
pened to look down, and saw the nut inside the 
glass. Instantly he came down. He alighted 
on the edge of the tumbler and held on tightly, 
while he leaned far over inside, almost standing 
on his head, till he picked up the nut and carried 
it off. 
These birds are easily made tame in winter 
by feeding them every day when food is hard to 
get; and at a time when they are forced to live 
on seeds and nuts, they greatly enjoy scraps of 
meat, and most of all, suet. Many people put 
out food for the birds every day in winter, in 
some safe place where cats cannot come. They 
have great pleasure in watching their little 
guests. 
