The Birds’ Calendar 
insects that lie concealed in the bark. Either 
from that sense of security that comes only from 
irreproachable morals or manners, or because 
he is really too busy to take notice of other 
people, he is very easy to approach. When 
you find one, you may be sure there are others 
not far away, as they are gregarious at this sea- 
son of the year. They make a merry company 
as they explore the trees together, and their 
soft but musical zee, zee, zee, and sprightly man- 
ners seem unmistakable evidence that they are 
in the best of spirits. They are very plentiful 
hereabouts, for scarcely a day passes that I do 
not see them, and they are so incessantly lively 
that it seems hardly possible that they can sleep 
longer than during the winks. They are only 
winter-birds in this region, summering and 
breeding in the White Mountains, northern 
Maine and beyond, so that they are with us 
only from October to April, or a little later. 
One feature of the winter-birds, viz., their 
song, can of course only be known by the re- 
ports of those who hear them in their summer 
homes. ‘That of the kinglet is said to be ‘‘a 
series of low, shrill chirps, terminating in a 
lisping warble.’’ Its congener, the ruby- 
crowned kinglet, is a much finer vocalist. 
26 
