210 HAPS IN THE FIELD 



featherless youngsters, and letting the poor 

 little parents know they are discovered and 

 their sweet privacy is liable to invasion at 

 any moment. 



No ! I am not preparing a " Scientific 

 Report." I will assume for my own plea- 

 sure that the junco family live across the 

 brook under that convenient root. This as- 

 sumption gave me the pleasure of fancying 

 the spot peopled with an interesting pair of 

 neighbors, and I enjoyed it, though, to whis- 

 per the truth, I never saw the birds go there 

 again. 



One resident of that pleasant nook was 

 not so welcome. Indeed, I have found him 

 everywhere a serious trial. It is a personage 

 small in size, but great in his own opinion 

 the common chipmunk. Wherever one goes, 

 however secluded the spot, or however diffi- 

 cult of access, the chipmunk is sure to be 

 there first, perfectly at home. He is what 

 our Western brothers call a " sooner," only 

 his way is more simple than that of the hu- 

 man individual so named. He does not stake 

 out a claim. He claims the whole, and is 

 prepared to defend his right against all tres- 



