A FOSTER BABY 
bit, hopped down near the nest hole, and 
finally, after several trials, ventured in. Thus 
encouraged, the father, who had watched anx- 
iously, came with food immediately on her 
departure. As they became accustomed to 
my presence, they gathered worms and flies 
from the tree above my head, carrying them 
quite fearlessly to the nestlings, but always 
pausing to look back at me from the door- 
way on entering or leaving. Taking a straw- 
berry from my lunch-box and stringing it on 
a stem of timothy, I hung it on the bush 
near the doorway. They were curious, and 
flew about, over and under it ; but either 
they suspected a trap, or strawberries are 
not to a chickadee^s taste, for it remained 
untouched. 
It being too late to see more that night, 
I went home resolved to renew the acquaint- 
ance the next day. Five a. m. found me an 
early caller at the chickadee’s door, but the 
dwelling was empty. Evidently the nest- 
lings were older than the calendar would 
have indicated as proper in a well-regulated 
8 113 
