BIRDS AT THE WINDOW 205 



covered, is a laggard in the morning. Then 

 is their time. In very bad weather, indeed, 

 they come at all hours ; but they are always 

 wary. If I raise the window an inch or two 

 and set it down with a slam, away they go ; 

 though, likely as not, I look out again five 

 minutes later to find them still there. In 

 times of dearth one may reasonably risk 

 something for a good piece of suet. 



The jays take what they can, somewhat 

 against our will. The table is spread for 

 smaller people : for downy woodpeckers, 

 white-breasted nuthatches, and chickadees, 

 with whom appears now and then, always 

 welcome, a brown creeper. The table is set 

 for them, I say ; and they seem to know it. 

 They come not as thieves, but as invited 

 guests, or, better still, as members of the 

 family. No opening and shutting of win- 

 dows puts them to flight. Why should it ? 

 There are at least a dozen baiting-places 

 about the house, and they know every one 

 of them. Though the fare is everywhere 

 the same, they seem to find a spice of vari- 

 ety in taking a bite at one table after an- 

 other. 



