Pa^y^s atr lcaj'),illus . 



Carnbr id{^e, liass. January birds in the Garden. 



1899. The pluclcy little Ghickadoes, however, sho-.TOd no fear 



January, whatex'or of the Sparrows ["English Sparrows at the suetj but 

 met thera on all occasions with the saine independent yet 

 friendly spirit which they display towards most other small 

 birds. Their numbers apparently varied from day to day but 

 the first flock evidently contained ten birds although only 

 twice during the month were they all seen togethZer. I sus- 

 pected, however, that most of them really visited the suet 

 daily, coming singly or in parties of from two to five or six. 

 One member of the flocly was v/holly destitute of a tail and 

 was accordingly christened (by Walter) " Sine paud a" . When 

 several birds appeared in company they usually ate singly, 

 each awaiting his turn with evident impatience iout great good 

 temper and when his opportunity came flitting to the coveted 

 perch the instant his predecessor vacated it. Apparently 

 there vvas some undcsr standing aicoiig them as to the maximum 

 length of tim^e during vmich each bird might occupy it for 

 they changed places very frequently usually once every two 

 minutes or less. The same bird, however, often returned more 

 than once before his appetite was appeased. 



Occasionally two birds would alight on the suet at once; 

 if on opposite sides or one at the top, the other clinging 

 bach downward beneath, neither seemed to object to the other's 



