A HERMIT'S WILD FRIENDS 



and flew to a limb over my head. Near the 

 bole of the tree she deposited three seeds, and 

 took the fourth one to a small twig, about 

 eight feet away. Before she got through with 

 the first seed, I pushed one of the three off 

 the limb. Mr. Bolles scouted the idea that the 

 bird would miss the seed on the ground. After 

 the bird had disposed of three seeds, it hunted 

 in the bark of the limb at first, and then 

 dropped to the ground and found the miss- 

 ing seed. If two seeds were pushed off, the 

 chickadee would hunt for both. Mr. Bolles 

 admitted that the bird could count four, and 

 possibly more than that number if it was 

 necessary. 



Mr. Bolles was the author of several books 

 on outdoor life. He possessed a delightful 

 style, reminding one of John Burroughs. 

 I will quote from his book, " From Blomidon 

 to Smoky," a record of a visit to my cabin : 



" I have a friend who lives alone, summer 

 and winter, in a tiny hut amid the woods. 

 The doctors told him he must die, so he es- 

 caped from them to Nature, made his peace 

 288 



