368 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [13:9— Dec. 1917 



dawn of the winter mornings; they dined at eleven, and came 

 to supper between four and five during the short days of winter. 

 They had good appetites, and needed frequent lunches between 

 meals. They enjoyed nuts of all kinds, from pecans to peanuts; 

 but they preferred butternuts and walnuts and took them first, 

 if they were offered a choice. Sunflower seeds were always 

 acceptable, and hemp seeds were in high favor, especially, after 

 we discovered that the Chickadees had difficulty in opening them 

 and we crushed the hard shells for them. 



Before we were fully convinced that our birds could not open 

 hemp seeds for themselves, we often saw them hold an unopened 

 seed in their bills, as if unable to eat it but loath to let it go. In 

 order to be quite sure, we filled a small wooden bowl which we 

 kept for broken nuts, with hemp seeds, both crushed and whole, 

 and put it on the porch table where the chickadees usually came 

 for breakfast. In a short time a sharp, rapid, pattering sound 

 was heard on the tin covered floor. When we went out to investi- 

 gate, a chickadee stood in the middle of the bowl, scattering the 

 unopened seeds in every direction, and eating the crushed ones 

 with evident satisfaction. 



At first we were content to watch the birds from a distance; 

 we could scarcely expect them to come to a sunny shelf on the 

 dining room window sill which we had prepared for possible bird 

 guests; still, we had read thrilling tales of the confidence of 

 Chickadees in their human friends, and it was not impossible 

 that we too might be honored by their friendship. So we made 

 the window shelf as attractive as possible, and waited hopefully. 



The Nuthatches, discovered it first. Then, one December 

 day, with a flutter of gray wings, and a patter of little feet, the 

 Chickadees came, and settled down on the window-ledge where 

 they ate their nuts and seeds serenely, quite undisturbed by eager, 

 watchful eyes at the window. Even when no one was looking 

 for them, their presence was announced to listening ears by 

 contented twitterings, and an occasional cheery "chickadee-dee- 

 dee", and by the peck of strong bills as they opened their sun- 

 flower seeds with swift strokes, while they held them firmly 

 with their claws. 



One day, an excited observer announced to her incredulous 

 family, that one of the Chickadees sat down on the table, and 

 held his piece of walnut shell in both feet, while he ate his nut. 



