CHICKADEE. 
31 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of forty-seven specimens from New England.—Length, 5-19; stretch, 8-00; wing, 2-55; 
tail, 2-40; bill, -36; tarsus, -65. Largest specimen, 5-75; greatest extent of wings, 8-60; longest wing, 2-62; tail, 
2.70; bill, -55; tarsus, -77. Shortest specimen, 4-40; shortest stretch of wings, 7-31; shortest wing, 2-31; tail, 2-12; 
bill, -30; tarsus, ‘50. 
DESCRIPTION OE NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests built in holes of trees, and composed of soft mosses and lined with the hair of various animals. 
Dimensions. — External diameter, 3-50 inches; internal, 2 inches; external depth, 1-50 inches; internal, 1 inch. 
Eggs usually six in number; oval in form; white in color, spotted and dotted throughout, but more thickly on 
the larger end, with reddish-brown. Dimensions, from -60 x '45 to -65 x- 50. 
HABITS. 
One can scarcely enter the evergreen woods of Southern New England during winter, 
without hearing the cheery song of the Chickadees, which come trooping around him as if glad 
of his company and will venture quite near in order to scan him carefully. They do this 
in such a sly manner that one would hardly suppose that he was noticed, for they are 
apparently always busy in searching for insects on the bushes around, hanging head downward 
or balancing themselves on the tip of a twig but ever keeping an eye on the object of their 
curiosity. But they never remain long in one spot and after completing their investigations, 
are off; then we can occasionally hear them tapping on the limbs like the Woodpeckers. At 
this time they are constantly repeating the strain from which the name is derived, which sounds 
exactly like " chick-a-dee-dee” or sometimes a ” dd dee” is added. During the bright days of 
early spring, when they leave the woods, where the coldest weather is spent, and enter the 
farm-yards or orchards they have a peculiar long-drawn song which is like the syllable "cee 
dee” with the last prolonged and plaintively given. This is the acme of their musical powers 
unless we consider a low warble which is sometimes emitted in autumn as superior. 
These birds wander about in small flocks all winter, but by the middle of April pair, and by 
the first of May settle down to nest building. They usually select a partly decayed birch in a 
swampy place for this purpose, and drijl a hole through the bark with their bills. They then 
easily remove the softened wood, carrying each piece to some distance before dropping it. In 
this great sagacity is exhibited, for if a pile of chips were allowed to accumulate at the foot of 
the tree it would be apt to attract attention to the nest above. They excavate a space six inches 
or more in depth and nearly four in diameter, laboring industriously from daylight until dark 
without cessation, that the task may be completed. They are often obliged to abandon a nearly 
finished domicile on account of dampness which is caused by the water that is absorbed by the 
punky wood, during wet weather. They are not discouraged at this occurrence but immediately 
select a drier quarter and zealously commence anew. The Chickadees are not always obliged to 
dig for themselves for they sometimes find a suitable place in the knot hole of a tree. I once 
found a nest built in a cleft of an oak, the entrance of which was nearly grown over. The birds 
had enlarged the opening and constructed their nest at the bottom. The female begins to 
incubate as soon as the first egg is deposited, so that by the time the last is laid the embryo 
in the first is considerably advanced; consequently they hatch at intervals. This facilitates 
bringing out the brood and is rendered easy by the fact that the male constantly furnishes the 
female and young with food. Indeed, from the moment she begins to sit, she is dependent 
upon him for everything she eats, and will sometimes emerge from her abode to follow him 
about, fluttering her wings and begging for a morsel in a low monotonous tone. 
When the young leave the nest, about the first week in June, they have a similar note and 
follow their parents through the woods, seeming to subsist entirely upon what is caught for 
them. The family continues to live together until after the moult, which takes place in August, 
