THE FOREST 175 



that the poisonous sprays used result in a con- 

 siderable destruction of our birds. They drink 

 of the poison drops on leaves, just as they drink 

 from the same cups after a shower or a heavy 

 dew. 



A pair of chickadees nested in a box in my for- 

 est that spring and nearly every spring since, and 

 their clear whistling "pee wee" and their familiar 

 and attractive ways added much to the charm of 

 life. On one occasion, in late fall, a chickadee 

 had entered through the open door the screened 

 open-air dining-room of my house. He was con- 

 siderably alarmed and fluttered against the wire 

 netting. Finally, escaping by the door, he flew 

 around the corner of the house, passing me with 

 the speed of a winged arrow, crossed the drive- 

 way and popped into a bird box by the stone wall. 

 He immediately turned and thrust his head out 

 and sang his clear whistling song as if in triumph 

 at his escape. 



Birds in moments of intense excitement, even 

 when this excitement is not due to courtship, 

 sometimes burst into 3ong. An extraordinary 

 example of this once occurred in the forest m 



