198 SHARP EYES 



Several years since I met with an incident which 

 showed this tenacious proclivity in a new light, and gave 

 it a serious significance not before suspected a trap for 

 birds. In passing through a copse one autumn day I 

 came upon a scene such as I have here pictured. The 

 captive bird was a chickadee, long dead. It had appar- 

 ently lit upon the cluster of burrs, and its feet becoming 

 entangled, had fluttered violently to escape, only to have 

 its wings pinioned securely on each side, in which posi- 

 tion it died. I have never seen or heard of a similar 

 instance. Are our small birds, then, ordinarily acquaint- 

 ed with the dangers of the burdock traps, and thus 

 warned to avoid them? The experience of this chicka- 

 dee would seem to be the certain fate of any small bird 

 which should repeat its heedlessness. 



The lesser hooked burrs, such as the stickseed, beg- 

 gars ticks, sanicle, and agrimony doubtless occasionally 

 come into contact with the plumage of birds, but in 

 their diminutive size, though fully as tenacious, could 

 scarce prove more than an inconvenience. 



