606 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



a squeaking sound by sucking with the lips on one's hand, the 

 Chickadees can be tolled nearer and nearer until they hop 

 about in the trees and bushes only a few inches away, even 

 exceptionally alighting on our heads or even on an outstretched 

 and immovable hand. They remain in the vicinity, hopping 

 from twig to twig, peering curiously to see what new and odd 

 animal is imitating them, until finally satisfied they resume 

 their way, flitting from bush to bush and tree to tree, peering 

 into the crannies and picking up thousands of eggs of injurious 

 insects from the twigs and bark. 



Through the winter they exist in roving bands, usually by 

 themselves, but occasionally associated with a few Hudsonian 

 Chickadees, frequenting the wooded tracts of country, in the 

 more sheltered situations, and often venturing into the shrub- 

 berry, trees and orchards of the city and country gardens. In 

 these latter places they do good work ridding the trees of the 

 eggs of insects as well as many insects which are found hiber- 

 nating in the crevices and crannies of the bark. Among the 

 insects' eggs eaten are thousands of eggs of the tent worm 

 moth, canker worm, tussock moth and related injurious species, 

 also eggs of various bark and scale lice. I have also seen 

 Chickadees hover before and cling to the clapboards of barns 

 and other buildings, industriously eating the various eggs and 

 insects concealed there. As spring approaches they resort 

 more and more to the woods, and here their sweet, clear 

 whistled love note or mating song, " dee-dee, dee-dee," may be 

 heard in late March and April. This consists of two clear notes 

 uttered in about G followed by two more uttered in F, and 

 though I have heard this call at other seasons it is uttered more 

 frequently in the mating season and is primarily the love note. 



In late April or early May they begin to excavate the nest. 

 Usually some very rotten stub in the woods is selected, usually 

 near the edge of the woods or near an open space or clearing, 

 but sometimes in the low, deep woods. Occasionally they will 

 nest in some natural cavity of an apple or other orchard tree, 



