196 A DECEMBER DAY WITH THE BIRDS. 



two pleasant little fi'iends in feathers, which have 

 been leal to me during all the winter months ; I 

 refer to the tufted and black-capped chickadees or 

 titmice. Of the former I have spoken at some 

 length in another paper, and so will only allude 

 to him here in comparison with his ebon-crested 

 relative. He is quite a malapert, with his jaunty, 

 cone-shaped crest pointing straight up. He ex- 

 presses his sentiments in such a variety of ways 

 that one can never be sure when one has heard all 

 the notes in his vocal repertory. The two titmice 

 have many traits in common, but the black-capped 

 is cast in a finer mould ; he is more dainty, de- 

 mure and supple (and that is saying a great deal) 

 than his tufted cousin, while his chiek-chick-a-dee- 

 dee-dee is less vociferous and evidently more sincere 

 and expressive of real feeling. 



I dislike to make the accusation — for I would 

 not cast a stigma on the good name of even a bird 

 — but I am afraid that the tufted titmouse's alarm- 

 calls are often more or less affected ; he is not half 

 as much frightened at you as he pretends to be. 

 All that ado in the sapling yonder is put on to 

 attract your attention to his skill as a tilter ; for, if 

 you stand still and watch him, he begins to perform 

 some of his most daring exploits. 



