Chickadee Ways 55 



Moralizing aside, however. On examining the stump, 

 I found a deep cavity just inside of the decaying bark. 

 Though it was quite dusk within, by slightly pressing 

 the bark aside I could see the little mother sitting on the 

 nest, unwilling to leave it in spite of my proximity. I 

 almost touched her with my hand, and still she did not 

 move. Unwilling to disturb so brave a heroine, I stepped 

 back and walked quietly away a few rods to see what 

 would happen, when she popped out of the orifice like an 

 arrow and, joined by her mate, set up a loud chattering, 

 which sounded as if they were saying that I was the nosi- 

 est and most impudent man in the whole countryside. 



No doubt they were right, for I went back, in spite 

 of their protest, and peeped into the nest, and found 

 four gleaming white eggs studding the bottom like 

 pearls. Alas! when I visited the place two weeks later, 

 the little domicile had been raided, the half -decayed walls 

 having been broken down. A tuft of gray hair hanging 

 to a splinter proved the invader to have been a predatory 

 animal of some kind, probably a cat. The birds were 

 nowhere to be seen unless a pair chirping in the woods 

 on the other side of the valley were the same couple, 

 trying to rear a family in a safer place. 



What a persistent sitter the female blackcap is! One 

 day I discovered a nest in a fence post by the wayside. 

 Pressing the bark aside, I could plainly see the little 

 owner snuggling close to the bottom of the cup. I thrust 

 my finger through the aperture and gently stroked her 

 head and back. Still she hugged the nest, pressing her 



