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Bird - Lore 



An Unusually Colored Chickadee 



I inclose herein a photo of a unique 

 Chickadee, its sides being boldly colored 

 a dull black. As shown, the whole of sides 

 are thus colored, leaving but a narrow 

 streak of usual color along breast and 

 abdomen. 



This Chickadee was first observed feed- 



I presume it is merely an unusually 

 marked Chickadee. — C. F. Stone, Branch- 

 port, N. Y. 



Nesting Habits of the Tufted Titmouse 



I think I can explain the strange be- 

 havior of the Tufted Titmouse recorded 

 in March-April, Bird-Lore. 



A BLACK-SIDED CHICKADEE 

 Photographed by C. F. Stone, Branchport, N. Y. 



ing on my roof bird-garden on March 12, 

 since when I have observed him several 

 times. This particular bird has a retiring 

 disposition, for while dozens of Chicka- 

 dees feed daily on my roof-garden, he 

 rarely visits the stubs and so far he has 

 been alone. I have observed this black- 

 sided Chickadee several times in different 

 sections of the street and he was always 

 alone. 



These birds, which my father has often 

 seen in the South, line their nests with a 

 pulpy substance not unlike a sponge. They 

 carry a large number of these damp leaf- 

 balls to their nest-hole and there pull them 

 into shreds. I do not know whether they 

 use their claws and bills for this or not. 

 The Titmouse uses this sort of lining for 

 its nest only when they build in damp 

 weather. They do not seem to be able to 



