242 Twelve Months With 



In temperament he is a curious mixture of friend- 

 liness and audacity. He seems utterly disdainful 

 at times of any one who stops to observe him, 

 showing him not the slightest attention. At other 

 times he appears purposely friendly, hopping up 

 close to the observer apparently from pure love of 

 human companionship. He is so anxious every one 

 should know him that he industriously repeats his 

 own name, "Chick-a-dee! Chick-a-dee-dee-dee!" 

 This is usually the first sign of his presence in 

 the neighborhood. He is so tiny that he would 

 be easily overlooked if it were not for his cheery 

 notes, which seldom fail to attract the most inat- 

 tentive ear, although they are soft and ventrilo- 

 quous in quality. 



"Far distant sounds the hidden chickadee 

 Close at my side," 



is Lowell's accurate description. 



In addition to these notes from which he derives 

 his name, the chickadee sometimes utters two very 

 plaintive notes somewhat resembling those of the 

 pewee, though they are more cheerful and more 

 distinctly marked. He is not a singing bird, but 

 his notes are cheering and pleasant, and he utters 

 them at all times of the year. I have watched 

 these little birds many hours, both in summer and 

 winter, and they have never appeared in the least 

 timorous or irritated at my presence. Many times 

 I have stood within easy reach of them as they 



