THE PERCHING BIRDS. 39 



meadows while it was blowing half a gale, and shout- 

 ing to all the world f sweet here ! f sweet here ! I was 

 on the point of turning homeward, but sought the lee 

 of the hickory instead, and while the blow lasted, and 

 through a short sum- 

 mer shower, the bird 

 kept whistling, not to 

 keep its courage up, 

 but through excess 

 of spirits, f sweet 

 here! f sweet here! 

 Birds like that are a 

 blessing. 



This titmouse, 

 being a resident, af- 

 fords abundant op- Crested Titmouse, 

 portunity to carefully study it. As a summer bird, 

 associated more or less with half a hundred other 

 birds, it is not particularly prominent except when 

 it happens to take advantage of a quiet moment and 

 whistle so loudly that every dog within half a mile 

 pricks up his ears. 



There are several other titmice found in the South 

 and far West, and all maintain the reputation of the 

 group for liveliness and pluck ; but not one is the 

 superior of the crested tit of which I have spoken, 

 nor have any of them any marked peculiarity from 

 the general habits of the Eastern species. 



A very common little bird, that because of its un- 

 obtrusive habits is not generally known, is the Brown 

 Tree-creeper. The name, coupled with the color, de- 

 scribes it most accurately. As a tree-creeper we 



