AND THE WILDERNESS BLOSSOMED 



and perching confidingly on the shoulders of 

 their care-takers. 



One of the most entertaining of little birds is 

 the Chickadee. He is so familiar and jolly that 

 you cannot feel offended at him no matter what 

 he does. I had tied a bit of worsted about the 

 stalk of the first sunflower to bloom one year, 

 and on passing the bed I found quite half of the 

 still unripe seed had disappeared. Looking at 

 the blossom in surprise, and scarcely two feet 

 from it, I was startled suddenly by a bird who 

 flew by my shoulder and perched on the top of 

 the flower. He looked at me and I at him. I 

 scolded, and he scolded back, and right before 

 my eyes, within reach of my hand, he plucked 

 out another seed and swallowed it forthwith. 

 " Why, you miserable little — " " Chickadee- 

 dee-dee," he said, and finished the sentence for me. 

 It was my introduction to the little fellow, and I 

 could not take offence at his thievery. He may 

 have all the sunflower seeds he wants, and he 

 comes every year to get them. 



I was walking around the island one day with 

 John Burroughs, and as the path followed the 

 head of a steep bluff, we were suddenly startled 

 by the sound of a watchman's rattle as a King- 



98 



