IDYLLS OF BIRD LIFE 
At times, while clinging with frozen toes to some trees, he 
still finds time to utter his repertory of pleasing notes which 
are distinctly characteristic of him. The brown-creeper’s 
plumage is an extraordinary feat of imitation; being an exact 
reproduction of the tree bark on which he lives. 
Another one of our permanent residents is the golden- 
crowned kinglet. He is about one-half the size of the English 
sparrow. His crown patch is of a bright orange or flame color, 
bordered by yellow, and enclosed by a black line. The upper 
parts of the body are of a grayish-olive hue. The wings and 
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tail are dusky, bordered by olive green, which underneath is 
grayish white. 
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When Autumn is in all her colored splendor, and Dame 
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Nature lavishes the hillsides with dashes of rich red and yellow 
coloring, this little bit of bird life arrives, to share with us our 
Winter. He is a veritable bundle of nerves, constantly flitting 
• about the twigs of some tree, searching the bark for hidden in- 
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sects, fluttering his wings and scarcely giving you a chance to 
distinguish him, until you discern his flaming crown. Zero 
weather is immaterial to him, and with evident relish of the 
cold he calls out his shrill “zee, zee, zee,” from the pines and 
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spruce. Although usually seen in the company of the brown 
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