280 THE WINTER BIRDS. 



warbling softly and melodiously. Nuttall says their song 

 resembles that of the European Eobin Eedbreast. He 

 also remarks that the males have severe contests when 

 they are choosing their mates. 



THE CHICKADEE. 



There are but few persons who have spent their winters 

 in the country, who would not agree with me that to the 

 lively notes of the Chickadee we are indebted for a great 

 part of the cheerfulness that attends a winter's walk. 

 His notes are not a song ; but there is a liveliness in 

 their sound, uttered most frequently on a pleasant 

 winter's day, causing them to be associated with all 

 agreeable changes of the weather. The Chickadees are 

 not seen, like Snowbirds, most numerously after a fall of 

 snow. Their habits are nearly the same in all weathers, 

 except that they are more .prone to be noisy and loqua- 

 cious on pleasant, sunny days. 



The sounds from which the Chickadee has derived its 

 name appear to be its call-notes, like the gobbling of a 

 turkey, and enable the birds while scattered singly over 

 the forest to signalize their presence to others of their 

 own species. It may be observed that when the call-note 

 is rapidly repeated, a multitude of them will immediately 

 assemble near the place where the alarm was given. 

 When no alarm is intended to be given, the bird utters 

 these notes but seldom, and chiefly as it passes from one 

 tree to another. It is probably accustomed to hearing 

 a response, and if one is not soon heard it will repeat 

 the call until it is answered. For as these birds do not 

 forage the woods in flocks, this continued hailing is car- 

 ried on between them, to satisfy their desire not to remain 

 entirely alone. A similar conversation passes between a 

 flock of chickens when scattered over a field and out of 



