140 



THE OOLOOI8T 



of the basket. The 11th, flocks of 

 Chickadees again making a great ado 

 over something. Perhaps they were 

 selecting mates? Today, the Chicka- 

 dee came to my hand, while on the 

 porch, after a meat, selecting one, 

 dropped it on the floor, selecting 

 another, dropped that also, but finally 

 selected a large one which it carried 

 away ot eat or hide. Today, a house 

 fly in the room about the window, at- 

 tracted the attention of the Chickadee, 

 and it attempted to fly to catch it. 



The 14th of March, after a brilliant 

 sunrise a very snowy afternoon." Chip- 

 chip-chip-chip-chip" said the Chicka- 

 dee at the basket in answer to another 

 among the snowy trees singing, Phe- 

 be, Phe-be, Phe-be." Chip-chip-chip- 

 chip-chip" said the one at the basket, 

 and one brightly answered "dee-dee- 

 chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee. The 21st of 

 March, "See-see-see-see" said the 

 Chickadee when an abundance of 

 of fresh meats was put out. Then 

 comes the birds, and if by morning, 

 they seem very hungry and will load 

 their beaks with as many bits of 

 meats, as they will hold, to carry off 

 to eat or to hide, and soon return for 

 more. If they did not carry the food 

 away, a few birds would usurp the 

 places of the others. 



The morning of March 21st, the 

 first Bluebird, and at noon he came in- 

 to the garden crab-tree and sang and 

 preened his feathers, the Chickadees 

 getting as close as possible to look 

 him all over. The last week of March 

 was milder and the birds practically 

 deserted the basket on the window- 

 sill. During April and into May evid- 

 dently a pair of Chickadees continued 

 to come, they were probably mates, 

 as often both would eat at the basket 

 together. The feathers looked rather 

 faded, but that was due probably to 

 the milder weather. The Nuthatch 

 was allowed to eat every time he 



wished during the spring days, and 

 he was very happy and loudly thanked 

 you. The 18th of April a pair of 

 beautiful Song Sparrows began to 

 come to the basket for the peanut 

 meats, although shyer than the winter 

 birds, they were not much afraid. When 

 eating, the Song Sparrow was large 

 enough so that when it straightened 

 up it could watch out for danger with- 

 out hopping to the edge of the basket. 

 When through eating it usually made 

 considerable noise when it wiped its 

 beak off en the edge of the basket. A 

 beautiful speckled bodice doth the 

 Song Sparrow wear! 



What wise little birds are the Chick- 

 adees! Some of them enjoyed being 

 talked to; they quirked their pretty 

 black caps, twinkled their black pearls 

 of eyes, and seemed to eat faster, as 

 if to show you how to do it. Once in 

 a while they broke forth in "dee-dee- 

 chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee" very prettily 

 while they ate, as if giving thanks. 

 Than there was one Chickadee when 

 it looked at you showed a bit of white 

 the outside corner of its eye. Daintily 

 marked are they, the white of their 

 wings and tail beautifully blended with 

 the gray feathers of the back. Their 

 feathers are little gems under a hand 

 lens and are very wonderful! Inno- 

 cent, friendly and sicial little birds; 

 who cannot help liking the Black- 

 capped Chickadee! 



Mr. Stewart H. Burnham, 



Hudson Falls, N. Y. 



The Oological and Ornithological 

 Camp Fire 



What is the general opinion as to 

 the most beautiful bird's egg? The 

 Osprey, the Kingbird, the Sharp- 

 shinned Hawk, the White-tailed and 

 Swallow-tailed Kites, the Black Skim- 

 mer and even the Turkey Vulture have 

 their preferenciers and are strong 

 candidates for the honor. It seems 



