THE BIRD STUDY BOOK 



of the same nature. I had discovered a Downy 

 Woodpecker at work on his winter bedroom, and 

 later I had reason to believe that he made this hjs 

 nightly retreat during the cold months that followed. 



Chancing to pass this way one dark cloudy morn- 

 ing, it occurred to me to look and see if he had yet left 

 his bed. Striking the limb near the hole I was rewarded 

 by seeing a little black-and-white head poked out in- 

 quiringly. Fearing he might be resentful if such 

 treatment were repeated, I never afterward disturbed 

 my little neighbour while he was taking his morning 

 nap. But I had learned this much, that one Downy 

 at least sometimes liked to be abed on cold mornings. 

 Perhaps he knew that there was no early worm about 

 at this season. 



Birds and the Night. — It may be that others of our 

 winter birds also make excavations for sleeping 

 quarters; the Chickadee and Nuthatch very probably 

 do so, although I have never found them thus en- 

 gaged. It is well known that many small birds 

 creep into holes to pass the night. Old nesting 

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