A BIRD-LOVER'S APRIL. 239 



tremely neat compliment to myself, as well as 

 incontestable evidence of unusual powers of dis- 

 crimination on their part. 



On my second visit the female sounded a call 

 as I approached the tree, and I looked to see 

 her mate take some notice of it ; but he kept 

 straight on with what he was doing. Not long 

 after she spoke again, however ; and now it was 

 amusing to see the fellow all at once stand still 

 on the top of the stub, looking up and around, 

 as much as to say, " What is it, my dear ? I 

 see nothing." Apparently it was nothing, and 

 he went head first into the hole again. Pretty 

 soon, while he was inside, I stepped up against 

 the trunk. His mate continued silent, and after 

 what seemed a long time he came out, flew to 

 an adjacent twig, dropped his load, and returned. 

 This he did over and over (the end of the stub 

 was perhaps ten feet above my head), and once 

 he let fall a beakful of chips plump in my face. 

 They were light, and I did not resent the liberty. 



Two mornings later I found him at his task 

 again, toiling in good earnest. In and out he 

 went, taking care to bring away the shavings 

 at every trip, as before, arid generally sounding 

 a note or two (keeping the tally, perhaps) be- 

 fore he dropped them. For the fifteen minutes 

 or so that I remained, his mate was perched in 

 another branch of the same tree, not once shift- 



