20 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:1— Jan., 1917 



Jan 1 6. — Mr. Downy was eating suet to-day and drove his beak 

 into it in such a manner that he got as much on the outside as he 

 did on the inside, and this disturbed him. He thrust out his long 

 tongue and drew what he could inside, and then tried to rub his 

 beak clean on a twig, but not till he began to pick a hole in the bark 

 of the twig did he succeed in getting his beak clean. Though the 

 wind has blown quite severely the snow is not yet all dislodged 

 from the pines. 



Jan 17. — One great branch of scarlet oak has retained most of 

 its russet leaves. It makes a brown spot in the white and gray 

 landscape. I discovered to-day that Sir Hairy has his red cap 

 parted with a black line. As he sits eating his suet, the wind 

 blows up his feathers and I can see how long and soft and warm 

 they are. A woodpecker sitting on a limb is a squat looking 

 creature. 



Jan. 19. — It was 22 below zero last night and I look at the world 

 through a beauteous lace curtain of frost all worked in one pattern. 

 I spoil the pattern with alcohol to make a peep-hole and am re- 

 warded by seeing a blue jay eating suet in front of me. The sun 

 glinting on the metallic blue of his topknot, his wing primaries, and 

 his tail make him a beautiful object. That tail is a wonderful 

 one, it seems to me. He drives his beak into the suet like a wood- 

 pecker, and though he hammers hard, his beak goes in just far 

 enough. 



Jan. 20. — The first thing I saw was the blue jay eating suet. 

 I had to smile to see him pry it up, he acts as if he were chopping 

 wood. He stands on top of it, stretches back on his toes, and 

 brings his head and beak down hard and consecutively until he 

 loosens a piece. 



Jan. 21. — The blue jay is a great bully and has bad manners. 

 He will not let Mrs. Blue Jay eat until he is full to bursting, and both 

 of them drive away the little birds. The blue jay has heaven on his 

 wings and hell in his disposition. 



Jan. 23. — Some winter days are mighty disagreeable and this 

 is one. We had sleet this morning and fine snow now that has 

 a mind to change to rain. The whole sky and earth are snowy; 



