18 OUR SOUTHERN BIRDS 



He seemed delighted with his discovery of 

 this source of hair; although he never carried 

 much away, he enjoyed playing with it. Since I 

 occupied the porch most of the time and warned 

 others not to frighten him, he returned again 

 and again to peck at one scalp or another, to 

 everybody's good pleasure. Thinking to oblige 

 him I fastened wisps and combings in convenient 

 crevices, but though he sometimes pulled at these 

 in passing he never took them away. Appar- 

 ently he preferred his goods in the original pack- 

 age. I noticed that while perched on some one's 

 head he seemed at times to be overcome with 

 surprise at realizing his unusual position, and 

 would look around at us with a startled expres- 

 sion, erecting his crest, which nearly caused us 

 all to burst out laughing. But I am glad to say 

 his confidence was never betrayed; his visits 

 continued until the building period was over, 

 when doubtless family cares claimed all his time 

 and attention. 



CAROLINA CHICKADEE 



Smaller and shyer than the Chickadee of New 

 England states, our Carolina thumbkin neverthe- 

 less brightens the winter landscape with busy, 

 capricious flutterings and constant chirping in 

 much the same way. His wing feathers are not 

 edged with white, and his "tsic-a-de-de-de-de" 



