CHICKADEE WAYS* 



IN a somewhat casual way, and without going into 

 their natural history, the last two chapters have 

 indicated the method of making an acquaintance 

 with new species and of studying the habits of a few 

 wild birds. A few chapters will now be devoted to a 

 fuller study of a number of interesting birds. Not that 

 I expect to write their complete life histories, which, 

 indeed, would not be necessary ; but that I may give you 

 some idea of the large amount of knowledge that can be 

 gained of one species. If this were multiplied by the 

 knowledge procurable from the study of all the members 

 of the feathered brotherhood, think what an education 

 the whole would give one. Let us begin with the familiar 

 little tomtit. 



In his valuable manual, " Birds of Eastern North 

 America," Dr. Frank M. Chapman calls the little black- 

 capped chickadee an " animated bunch of black and 

 white feathers." That is certainly a graphic and correct 

 way of putting it, for no bird is more active and alert than 

 this little major with the black skull cap and ashy-blue 

 coat. Everybody knows him, I take it, but if any more 

 points are needed for his identification, you must look for 



*Reprinted by permission, from " Our Animal Friends," New York. 



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