A BIRD-LOVER’S APRIL. 239 
tremely neat compliment to myself, as well as 
incontestable evidence of unusual powers of dis- 
crimination on their part. 
On my second visit the female sounded a call 
as I approached the tree, and I looked to see 
her mate take some notice of it; but he kept 
straight on with what he was doing. Not long 
after she spoke again, however ; and now it was 
amusing to see the fellow all at once stand still 
on the top of the stub, looking up and around, 
as much as to say, “* What is it, my dear? I 
see nothing.” Apparently it was nothing, and 
he went head first into the hole again. Pretty 
soon, while he was inside, I stepped up against 
the trunk. His mate continued silent, and after 
what seemed a long time he came out, flew to 
an adjacent twig, dropped his load, and returned. 
This he did over and over (the end of the stub 
was perhaps ten feet above my head), and once 
he let fall a beakful of chips plump in my face. 
They were light, and I did not resent the liberty. 
Two mornings later I found him at his task 
again, toiling in good earnest. In and out he 
went, taking care to bring away the shavings 
at every trip, as before, and generally sounding 
a note or two (keeping the tally, perhaps) be- 
fore he dropped them. For the fifteen minutes 
or so that I remained, his mate was perched in 
another branch of the same tree, not once shift- 
