CHIPPY. 65 



their mothers poisoned their minds, too, for as 

 nearly as I could make out a coldness grew up be- 

 tween the families of infants. 



The old chipping birds are very intelligent. 

 The turn of the head and the quick glance from 

 the eye show that their familiar bravery is due to 

 no thoughtless confidence, but is based 011 keen 

 observation and bird wit. 



The young birds seem more trustful and are 

 dear fluffy little creatures. When they get to be 

 as big as their mothers and know perfectly well 

 how to feed themselves, the lazy babies will often 

 stand helplessly right in the middle of a handful 

 of crumbs, and chirr at their mother till she picks 

 the crumbs up and drops them in their bills. 



One day I found a young chippy sitting on the 

 picket of a fence. His mother soon flew up onto 

 the picket next to him with his dinner in her bill 

 and leaned over trying to reach it across. It was 

 a comical proceeding, the baby fluttering his 

 wings, opening his mouth, crying out and bobbing 

 toward his mother while she stretched across till 

 well, both birds came near a tumble before 

 they gave it up. 



Chipping birds are always about, in the garden, 

 on the lawn, and around the house. The back 

 door with its boundless possibilities in the crumb 

 line attracts them strongly. At one house, for 

 several years, a number of them came to the back 

 yard every day when the chickens were fed. They 



