Birds of Lewiston- Auburn 23 



about that time. It had been reported one year before. 

 Its song is much hke the "black cap" only more ''babyish." 



10. (735) BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE 



A permanent resident. In September they leave the 

 woods and their familiar notes may be heard in our 

 orchards and gardens near the city, where a few are seen 

 all winter except in extremely cold weather. In Febru- 

 ary we hear their sweet phe-he (this note may be heard 

 in all the winter months if the weather is mild) remind- 

 ing us spring is coming. Later they return to the woods 

 for the summer. 



"Thy call in spring, 

 As 'twould accost some frivolous wing, 

 Crying out of the hazel copse, Phe-be! 

 And in winter, Chic-a-dee-dee ! 



— Emerson. 



In March and even later a beautiful warble song may 

 be heard. Our most common winter bird, renowned for 

 its sociability, for when we are in the woods it always 

 sings for us. It frequently comes to our homes and feeds 

 from our hands. After a ramble through the pines in late 

 November with a literary friend, she described the chick- 

 adees in a nature editorial as making ''music like some- 

 body rubbing a finger over a fine silver wire." 



It is to be presumed in the case of birds called perma- 

 ment residents that they are not represented by the same 

 individuals the entire year as many of our summer resi- 

 dents go south while others come here from the north for 

 the winter. . . r/. - 



Suf- FAMILY NUTHATCHES 



11. (728) RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH 



A permanent resident; more abundant in the spring 

 and in autumn. During the vernal migration it is more in 



