38 BIRDS 



Few birds that we see about our homes wear a top knot 

 on their heads. The big cardinal has a handsome red one; 

 the larger blue jay's is bluish gray; the cedar waxwing's is a 

 Quaker drab; but the little titmouse, which is about the 

 size of an Enghsh sparrow, may be named at once by the 

 gray-pointed crest that makes him look so pert and jaunty. 

 When he hangs head downward from the trapeze on the 

 oak tree, this little gray acrobat's peaked cap seems 

 to be falling off; whereas the black skull cap on the smaller 

 chickadee fits close to his head no matter how much he 

 turns over the bar and dangles. 



(See plate, page 27.) 



Neither one of these cousins is a carpenter like the wood- 

 pecker. The titmouse has a short, stout bill without a 

 chisel on it, which is why it cannot chip out a hole for a 

 nest in a tree trunk or old stump unless the wood is much 

 decayed. This is why these birds are so pleased to find a 

 deserted woodpecker's hole. Not alone are they saved 

 the trouble of making an excavation, but a deep tunnel in 

 a tree trunk means secm-ity for their babies against hawks, 

 crows, jays, and other foes, as well as against wind and rain. 



When we cut down the decayed and hollow old trees, let 

 us see to it that nesting boxes are provided for the birds 

 that once made them their home if we really want them for 

 neighbors. 



The White-breasted Nuthatch 



Length — 5.5 to 6 inches. A trifle smaller than the English 



sparrow. 

 Male and Female — ^Upper parts slate color. Top of head 



and nape black. Wings dark slate, edged with black. 



