59 
V. 
MAKCH 15th. 
Red-bellied Nuthatch — Voice and Habits — Fear of Man. — Insects. — 
Torpidity. — Power of resisting Cold. — Mammals. — Birds. — Temperature 
of Cold-blooded Animals. — Why polished Surfaces are cold. — Laying 
up of Food by Insects. — Chambers of Mining Ants. — Mosses and 
Lichens on Trees. 
« 
Charles. — What bird makes that singular noise^ quank, 
quank^ quank ? " Yonder woods are resounding with it ; I 
should think it is a large bird from the noise it makes. 
Father. — We will go towards it : perhaps we may 
see it. 
C. — The sound still seems to recede as we advance. — 
There it passes directly over our heads^ yet no bird is visible. 
Hark ! now it proceeds from the right hand, seemingly about 
two hundred yards distant. 
jF. — Look at that old maple^ a yard or two on your 
right : — watch the trunk. 
C. — I see nothing. Oh ! yes : there are two little blue- 
backed birds^ crawling up and down^ something like mice. 
Can it be possible that the notes which I supposed so far off 
proceed from them ? 
F. — Yes : but how faintly they are now uttered ; and 
even while we look at them we can scarcely believe that the 
sound does not reach us from a considerable distance. But 
they have observed that we are watching them : see how 
warily they keep on the opposite side of the tree. Stand 
still a few moments, and we shall see them again. 
