THE CHICKADEES 



out for a rest, and the female took his place. 

 The birds appeared to work under a regular 

 system, for the little wife came to the mouth 

 of the hole and called her husband; he 

 clung to the edge and reached inside for chip- 

 pings, just as his wife did. The bird inside 

 must have passed the chippings up to the bird 

 outside. Quite a scheme to save labor. 



From time to time I visited this nest to 

 inspect the work. When the hole was about 

 nine inches in depth, the birds put in the nest- 

 ing material. If these birds had not become 

 partly domesticated, the foundation of the 

 nest would have been moss (Sphagnum), 

 with a lining of fur or grouse feathers. My 

 chickadees have changed the nesting habit, 

 using nothing but cotton-batting for founda- 

 tion and lining. Eight eggs were laid in this 

 nest, and every one hatched. 



The flock of chickadees that have gathered 

 at my cabin this winter for food will number 

 about fifty. They are so tame that they enter 

 the cabin and eat from the table. One bird 

 has demonstrated to me that she possesses 

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