THE PRANKS OF THE TUFTED TITMOUSE. 1()1 



my kindness of heart. I made a sndden leap and 

 uttered a loud shout, causing Master Titmouse to 

 let his dinner drop and dash wildly away. This 

 time I found that he had been feasting on an 

 acorn, which he had partly eaten. A bird student 

 must be forgiven such wanton pranks in the in- 

 terest of science^ even if a chickadee does lose his 

 dinner occasionally. Still, I was half conscience- 

 smitten on account of the ungracious deed, and so 

 I placed the acorn on top of the leaves in plain 

 sight, to give the hungry bird a chance to return 

 and finish his repast after I had left the place. 



Seldom does one see a prettier picture than this 

 bird presents when he lays back his crest so cun- 

 ningly and plunges his head into the heaps of 

 brown leaves that strew the ground, while he 

 hunts for a nut or an insect. And then he some- 

 times picks up a leaf with his strong mandibles, 

 giving it a vigorous toss that sends it flyiug several 

 feet away. Everj^thing he does seems cunning on 

 account of his pert, conceited air. 



I must make haste to say a word about the nest- 

 ing habits of the chickadees. They usually begin 

 early in April to find nesting places, choosing as 

 a site for their nurseries the deserted holes of 

 woodpeckers, or natural cavities in trees and stubs. 



