CHICKADEE. 31 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of forty-seven specimens from New England. Length, 5-19; stretch, 8'00; wing, 2-55; 

 tall, 2-40; bill, -36; tarsus. -Co. Largest specimen, 5-75; greatest extent of wings, 8-GO; longest wing, 2-62; tail, 

 2.70; bill, -55; tarsus, -77. Shortest specimen, 4-40; shortest stretch of wings, 7-31; shortest wing, 2-31; tail, 2-12; 

 bill, -30; tarsus, -60. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



V x'.< built in holes of trees, and composed of soft mosses and lined with the hair of various animals. 

 Dimensions. External diameter, 3-50 inches; internal, 2 inches; external depth, 1-50 Inches; internal, 1 inch. 



E'j<i* usually six in number; oval in form ; white In color, spotted and dotted throughout, but more thickly on 

 the larger end. with reddish-brown. Dimensions, from -60 x -45 to -65 x- 60. 



HABITS. 



One can scarcely enter the evergreen woods of Southern New England during winter, 

 without hearing the cheery song of the Chickadees, which come trooping around him as if glad 

 of his company and will venture quite near in order to scan him carefully. They do this 

 in such a sly manner that one would hardly suppose that he was noticed, for they are 

 apparently always busy in searching for insects on the bushes around, hanging head downward 

 or balancing themselves on the tip of a twig but ever keeping an eye on the object of their 

 curiosity. But they never remain long in one spot and after completing their investigations, 

 arc oft'; then we can occasionally hear them tapping on the limbs like the Woodpeckers. At 

 this time they are constantly repeating the strain from which the name is derived, which sounds 

 exactly like " chick-a-dee-dee" or sometimes a "de'dee" is added. During the bright days of 

 early spring, when they leave the woods, where the coldest weather is spent, and enter the 

 farm-yards or orchards they have a peculiar long-drawn song which is like the syllable "cee 

 dee" with the last prolonged and plaintively given. This is the acme of their musical powers 

 unless we consider a low warble which is sometimes emitted in autumn as superior. 



These birds wander about in small flocks all winter, but by the middle of April pair, and by 

 the iirst of May settle down to nest building. They usually select a partly decayed birch in a 

 swampy place for this purpose, and drill a hole through the bark with their bills. They then 

 easily remove the softened wood, carrying each piece to some distance before dropping it. In 

 this great sagacity is exhibited, for if a pile of chips were allowed to accumulate at the foot of 

 the tree it would be apt to attract attention to the nest above. They excavate a space six inches 

 or more in depth and nearly four in diameter, laboring industriously from daylight until dark 

 without cessation, that the task may be completed. They arc often obliged to abandon a nearly 

 finished domicile on account of dampness which is caused by the water that is absorbed by the 

 punky wood, during wet weather. They are not discouraged at this occurrence but immediately 

 select a drier quarter and zealously commence anew. The Chickadees are not always obliged to 

 dig for themselves for they sometimes find a suitable place in the knot hole of a tree. I once 

 found a nest built in a cleft of an oak, the entrance of which was nearly grown over. The birds 

 had enlarged the opening and constructed their nest at the bottom. The female begins to 

 incubate as soon as the first egg is deposited, so that by the time the last is laid the embryo 

 in the first is considerably advanced ; consequently they hatch at intervals. This facilitates 

 bringing out the brood and is rendered easy by the fact that the male constantly furnishes the 

 female and young with food. Indeed, from the moment she begins to sit, she is dependent 

 upon him for everything she eats, and will sometimes emerge from her abode to follow him 

 about, fluttering her wings and begging for a morsel in a low monotonous tone. 



When the young leave the nest, about the first week in June, they have a similar note and 

 follow their parents through the woods, seeming to subsist entirely upon what is caught for 

 them. The family continues to live together until after the moult, which takes place in August, 



