DAILY DOINGS 



neath my window. The snapping of the pony's feet 

 as he touches the crisp ice, taking the children to 

 school in the small cart, is the only sound that disturbs 

 the stillness ; and that is soon lost as they disappear be 

 hind the fishing village. "Cheep," cries the chickadee 

 on the sill, and the nuthatch grunts a bit to inform me 

 of his presence. Yes, the food is fresh and to his taste, 

 also to the taste of the blue jay, who has to be fright 

 ened off with threatening gestures. Although the 

 nuthatch permits no relative to eat on the dish with 

 him, occasionally he relaxes his strict rules and carries 

 a morsel to his waiting mate upon the tree; and when 

 he succeeds in getting away with a particularly big 

 piece of suet, I notice that the other bird follows him 

 with celerity instead of coming to the table herself. 

 How dexterously she darts after the bit of nut dropped 

 from his bill, and with what beauty of action she 

 seizes it in mid-air! 



January 24. Thermometer 45. The wild geese 

 calling at twilight. Yesterday we found a snowdrop. 

 Is the spring so near? 



37 



