1898 - JANUARY. 
January 2, 1898 - Sunday. 
The male English sparrow has a black patch on 
his throat that the female lacks. She has more 
sober plumage. They are making love now. I saw 
one hopping around the female as she sat in a maple 
in our yard. He dragged his wings and spread his 
tail and chirped to show his finest feathers. 
January 12, 1898 - Wednesday . 
This morning it was quite cold. Went down in 
Mit Maine's woods. Saw a flock of 7 or 8 Chicadees 
in the plum orchard. Took a description. Crown and 
throat glossy black. Back ashy; underparts white. 
The middle of the belly has a slight reddish tinge. 
They were very tame and allowed me to get quite 
close. They were always on the move for something 
t o eat. 
FEBRUARY. 
February 7, 1898 - Monday. 
A chicadee came to a pile of wood by the back 
ho or this morning. He hung over the sawed end of 
wood and pick out larvae. They were covered by 
sawdust and he dug it out. When he got a small one 
he ate it up but he flew off with the large ones, 
he picked a little at a bone too. 
February 27, 1898 - Sunday. 
The little gnats are dancing thier love dances 
this afternoon. Over by Trumble's a pair of white¬ 
breasted nuthatches were catching them. They would 
start from an elm branch and circle through them, 
coming back to the same perch. 
APRIL. 
April 10, 1898 - Sunday. 
This afternoon I went down in the fields with 
