CHICKADEE. 



Bird of the Merry Heart. 



Here is a picture of a bird that 

 is always merry. He is a bold, 

 saucy little fellow, too, but we 

 all love him for it. Don't you 

 think he looks some like the ' 

 Canada Jay that you saw in 

 April " BIRDS?" 



I think most of you must have 

 seen him, for he stays with us all 

 the year, summer and winter. 

 If you ever heard him, you surely 

 noticed how plainly he tells you 

 his name. Listen u Chick-a- 

 dee-dee; Chick-a-dee ; Hear, 

 hear me" -That's what he says 

 as he hops about from twig to 

 twig in search of insects' eggs 

 and other bits for food. No 

 matter how bitter the wind or 

 how deep the snow, he is always 

 around the same jolly, careless 

 little fellow, chirping and twit 

 tering his notes of good cheer. 



Like the Yellow Warblers on 

 page 169, Chickadees like best 

 to make their home in an old 

 stump or hole in a tree not very 

 high from the ground. Some 

 times they dig for themselves a 

 new hole, but this is only when 

 they cannot find one that suits 

 them. 



The Chickadee is also called 

 Black-capped Titmouse. If you 

 look at his picture you will see 

 his black cap. You'll have to 

 ask someone why he is called 

 Titmouse. I think Chickadee 

 is the prettier name, don't you? 



If you want to get well 

 acquainted with this saucy little 

 bird, you want to watch for him 

 next winter, when most of the 

 birds have gone south. Throw 

 him crumbs of bread and he \vill 

 soon be so tame as to come right 

 up to the door step. 



164 



