THE CHICKADEE 49 



bird lover, who had improved on the bird-catching 

 legend by using nuts instead of " salt " and by sub- 

 stituting bill for "tail," three Chickadees in the 

 Ramble had become so remarkably tame that they 

 would often flutter before one's face and plainly 

 give expression to their desire for food, which they 

 took from one's hand without the slightest evidence 

 of fear. Sometimes they even remained to pick the 

 nut from a shell while perched on one's finger, anon 



24. Chickadee on ground. 



casting questioning glances at their host ; but more 

 often they preferred a perch where they could give 

 their entire attention to the nut which was held 

 between their feet, and pecked at after the manner 

 of Blue Jays. 



In spite of the ease with which one could ap- 

 proach these Chickadees, they made difficult marks 

 for the camera. I was armed with a " Henry Clay " 

 5X7 and a twin-lens camera of the same size, but 



