50 Tue Aroostook Woops. 

possible, though she lose her life. At the first sight of an 
intruder, if knowing her family is discovered, she flies direct- 
ly at the enemy, at the same time giving the chicks warning 
to hide themselves. 
Feeding much upon yellow birch buds, after heavy frosts 
come, and usually they are budding in pairs, as they have now 
mated, yet we sometimes see a dozen or more feeding upon 
the same tree, and think it a pretty sight. The trees are 
usually tall and at this time leafless. The buds grow thrifty 
and thick upon the upper and outer branches and twigs. 
The birds sitting distributed all about the tree, quite little 
distances from each other, the small branches gently swaying 
and rocking with their weight, the birds so plainly outlined, 
all busy as bees, until their crops are nearly full, taking no 
notice of you if you are quiet, give us, all free, one of the 
many interesting pictures (and a live one) to be seen in the 
snowy woods in winter. But after the first heavy frosts come 
and the beech nuts are ripe, they are happy indeed. By this 
time they have made their Jove engagements with each other 
in their own pretty way. The oldest drummer has selected 
the prettiest and youngest pullet he can find, and now leads 
her to the south side of the high sunny ridge where he 
knows (and tells her truly, always,) the sweetest beech 
nuts grow. The birds get in their best condition upon this 
food, and, if it were possible, the flavor of the broil is 
improved. ; 
We left a dozen or fifteen pretty little chicks behind, that 
we wish to speak of again, and should like to say how nature 
had colored, or painted them, but fail to do them justice 
when we say, they were a light golden and orange brown, 
beautifully mottled, and richly shaded. But now they are 
