THE CHICKADEE 159 



escaping jet of steam. One involuntarily closes 

 his eyes and jerks back his head. The girls, to 

 their great amusement, provoked the bird into 

 this pretty outburst of her impatience two or 

 three times. But as the ruse failed of its efEect, 

 the bird did not keep it up, but let the laughing 

 faces gaze till they were satisfied. 



I was much interested in seeing a brood of 

 chickadees, reared on my premises, venture upon 

 their first flight. Their heads had been seen at 

 the door of their dwelling — a cavity in the limb 

 of a pear-tree — at intervals for two or three 

 days. Evidently they liked the looks of the great 

 outside world; and one evening, just before sun- 

 down, one of them came forth. His first flight 

 was of several yards, to a locust, where he alighted 

 upon an inner branch, and after some chirping 

 and calling proceeded to arrange his plumage 

 and compose himself for the night. I watched 

 him till it was nearly dark. He did not appear 

 at all afraid there alone in the tree, but put his 

 head under his wing and settled down for the 

 night as if it were just what he had always 

 been doing. There was a heavy shower a few 

 hours later, but in the morning he was there up- 

 on his perch in good spirits. 



I happened to be passing in the morning 

 when another one came out. He hopped out upon 



