84 
OUR BIRDS IN WINTER. 
heads. These were the golden-crested wrens, 
the constant associates of the chick-a-dees in 
the winter and early spring months. 
At length, when most of the trees had been 
examined, and the vermin concealed in their 
branches been discovered and destroyed, the 
birds assembled on one of the trees in a loose- 
ly scattered group, and began arranging and 
dressing their feathers, opening them and 
permitting the warm rays of the sun to pene- 
trate them and impart a grateful warmth to 
their little bodies beneath. 
During this interval of rest the time was 
enlivened by a recital of some of their past 
experiences, and in planning for the coming 
season. While the birds were chatting to- 
gether they were joined by another pair, Mr. 
and Mrs. Chick-a-dee, that had been very in- 
dustriously engaged in pecking off a large 
piece of bark from a neighboring apple-tree, 
beneath which were laid a great number of 
insect eggs. As they joined the party, one 
of the wrens observed that Eeally they were 
very industrious ; they labored so hard that 
