238 NATURE SKETCHES IN TEMPERATE AMERICA 



bough with a large apple tightly grasped in his forepaws. He 

 was eating the fruit with great relish when suddenly, through 

 a momentary relaxation of his paws, it dropped to the ground. 

 With a look of mixed disappointment and surprise, he peeked 

 over the side of the branch and watched its descent to the 

 ground. Then, jumping to a higher bough, he sought another 

 apple, but it also fell almost as soon as it was touched. Retir- 

 ing to another limb and seeming to think the matter over, he 

 climbed to a point where he could seize a third apple. Taking 

 a good hold with his mouth he quickly pulled it off and carried 

 it along the limb to a crotch which formed a little platform. 

 Here he quietly finished the remainder of his meal. I waited 

 until he had dropped the half-eaten apple and scampered 

 away to a neighboring tree, where he entered a hole leading 

 into the vacated nest of a bluebird. 



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Some Visitors to the Walnut Tree 



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^^'- r I 'HERE was a half-dead walnut tree stand- 



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ing alone near our home where many birds 

 congregated during the summer. In July 

 I often saw nut-hatches, downy, hairy, and 

 red-headed woodpeckers, who made frequent excursions on 

 the bark. The latter species was especially delighted after 

 discovering some corn which I threw into a cavernous opening 

 low down in the trunk of a tree. The corn was thrust into 

 the hole more with a view to feeding and taming some young 

 red squirrels that played about the grounds, than to feed the 



