390 NUTHATCHES AND TITS. 



735. Parus atricapillus {Linn.). Chickadee. (See Fig. 57, b.) 

 Ad. — Top of the head, nape, and throat shining black ; sides of the head and 

 nook white; baolc ashy; outer vanes of greater wing-coverts distinctly mar- 

 gined with white ; wing and tail-feathers margined with whitish ; breast 

 white ; belly and sides washed with cream-buff. L., 5-27 ; W., 2-53 ; T., 2-43 ; 

 B., -37. 



Bange. — Eastern North America ; breeds from southern Illinois and Penn- 

 sylvania northward to Labrador, and southward along the AUeghanies to 

 North Carolina; in winter migrates a short distance below the southern limit 

 of its breeding range. 



Washington, rare and irregular W. V., Dec. to Apl. 15. Sing Sing, toler- 

 ably common P. E. Cambridge, very common P. E., more numerous in fall 

 and winter. 



Nest, of moss, grasses, feathers, and plant down, in old stumps, holes in 

 trees, etc., not more than fifteen feet up. Eggs, five to eight, white, spotted 

 and speckled, chiefly at the larger end, with cinnamon- or rufous-brown, 

 ■60 X -48. 



When most birds were strangers to me, I remember thinking what 

 a blessing it would be if every one spoke his name as plainly as does 

 this animated bunch of black and white feathers. No need of a text- 

 book to discover his name; with winning confidence he introduced 

 himself, and probably for this reason he has always been my best 

 friend among birds. I never 

 hear his voice in the woods 

 without answering him : 



'^EE^ 



± 



^ 



Soon he comes to me, mildly inquisitive at first, looking about for the 

 friend or foe whose call has attracted him. In an unconcerned way 

 he hops from limb to limb, whistling softly the while, picking an in- 

 sect's egg from beneath a leaf here or larva from a crevice in the bark 

 there, all the time performing acrobatic feats of which an accom- 

 plished gymnast might be proud. Finally his curiosity becomes 

 aroused, he ceases feeding, and gives his entire attention to the dis- 

 covery of the bird who so regularly replies to him. Hopping down to 

 a limb within three feet of my head, he regards me with puzzled in- 

 tentness ; his little black eyes twinkle with intelligence, he changes 

 his call, and questions me with a series of chick-a-dees, liquid gurgles, 

 and odd chuckling notes which it is beyond my power to answer, and 

 finally, becoming discouraged, he refuses to renew our whistled ccn- 

 versation and retreats to the woods. 



On two occasions Chickadees have flown down and perched upon 

 my hand. During the few seconds they remained there I became rigid 

 with the emotion of this novel experience. It was a mark of' con- 

 fidence which seemed to initiate me into the ranks of woodland 

 dwellers. 



