106 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



ill 1850, in the tliick swampy woods wliicli cover one of the small islands 

 near (Iraiid jMonan. Their general ap]iearaiice as they fhtted through tlie 

 woods, or rustled restlessly among the tangled debris of de(..._|Iiig trees and ■ 

 underl)riish with which the forest was clioked, was not unlike that of our 

 common J>laek-('ap. Yet there was an indescribable something both in their 

 cries and in their manners that at once suggested a ililference of S2)ecies. To 

 my ear their cries were sharper, clearer, and a trifle harsher. There was 

 none (if that resonant Jingle so full of charm in the Chickadee. Their notes, 

 too, were more articulate, more like distinct words, and were brought out at 

 certain times with an emjihasis the eil'ect of which was very striking. 

 Ueginning with tsdiCi-dei, the dee-dve-dSe was reiterated with an almost 

 incessant volubility. 



It seemed to be a more retiring bird, never frequenting the houses, but 

 keeping closely to thick and retired woods. Yet it is not a timid species, but 

 seemed entirely unmindful of our presence, or, when mindful of it, to resent 

 it as an impropriety, rather than to fear it as a danger. They ajipareiitly had 

 nests or young at the time of my visit, though I could not detect their local- 

 ity. One jiair became at last so annoyed at my jirolonged presence as to 

 manifest their uneasiness by keeping within a few feet of my heail, follow- 

 ing me wherever I went, and without ceasing from their clo,se surveillance 

 until I finally left their grove and emerged into the open country. All the 

 time they lirought out the cry of dee-dee with a clear, ringing emphasis that 

 was almost startling. 



A few days later, being at H lifax, Mr. Andrew Downes, the naturalist, 

 took me to the nest of these birds in a small grove in the vicinity of that 

 city. The nest was in a small beech-tree, and had l)een cut through the liv- 

 ing w(i(h1. The excavation, which was not more than two feet from the 

 ground, was about ten inches in de]tth, was in a horizontal jjosition only 

 about two inches, wlmre it turned abrujitly downward, and from a width of 

 an inch and a half assumed a width of three, and a dejjth of seven or eight 

 inches. Tliis was warndy lined with feathers and soft fur. The nest con- 

 tained young birds. These particulars we only ascertained when we had 

 laid '^are the excavation by a sharj) hatchet. Though disajti»ointed in our 

 seiirch for eggs, yet ve witnessed r very touching manifestation of devotion 

 on the ])art of the parents, and of neighl)orly .solicitude in various other in- 

 mates of the grove, which was at or^e most interest ing and a scene long to 

 be rememltered. 



With all tJie self-sacrificing devotion of the Rlack-t'a]), these birds di.s- 

 jihiyed a bohlness and an aggi-ssive intreimlity that at once commanded 

 our respect and admimtion. I never witne.s.sed anything quite equal to it.\ 

 They tiew at our faces, assailed our arms as we wielded the invading hatchet, 

 and it was dillicult not to do them even unintentional injury without aban- 

 doning our jairpose. IJefore we could examine the nest they had entered, 

 and had to be again and again removed. As soon as we were satisfied that 



