bird neighbors-第16章
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ning over cheeks and upper part of breast； forming a sort of collar that almost surrounds neck。 Underneath dirty white。 with pale rusty brown wash on sides。 Wings and tail gray。 with white edgings。 Plumage downy。 Range Eastern North America。 North of the Carolinas to Labrador。 Does not migrate in the North。 Migrations Late September。 May。 Winter resident； permanent resident in northern parts of the United States。
No 〃fair weather friend〃 is the jolly little chickadee。 In the depth of the autumn equinoctial storm it returns to the tops of the trees close by the house； where； through the sunshine； snow； and tempest of the entire winter； you may hear its cheery； irrepressible chickadee…dee…dee…dee or day…day…day as it swings Around the dangling cones of the evergreens。 It fairly overflows with good spirits； and is never more contagiously gay than in a snowstorm。 So active； so friendly and cheering； what would the long northern winters be like without this lovable little neighbor？
It serves a more utilitarian purpose； however； than bracing faint…hearted spirits。 〃There is no bird that compares with it in destroying the female canker…worm moths and their eggs；〃 writes a well…known entomologist。 He calculates that as a chickadee destroys about 5；500 eggs in one day； it will eat 138；750 eggs in the twenty…five days it takes the canker…worm moth to crawl up the trees。 The moral that it pays to attract chickadees about your home by feeding them in winter is obvious。 Mrs。 Mabel Osgood Wright； in her delightful and helpful book 〃Birdcraft；〃 tells us how she makes a sort of a bird…hash of finely minced raw meat； waste canary…seed； buckwheat； and cracked oats； which she scatters in a sheltered spot for all the winter birds。 The way this is consumed leaves no doubt of its popularity。 A raw bone； hung from an evergreen limb； is equally appreciated。
Friendly as the chickadee is and Dr。 Abbott declares it the tamest bird we have it prefers well…timbered districts； especially where there are red…bud trees； when it is time to nest。 It is very often clever enough to leave the labor of hollowing out a nest in the tree…trunk to the woodpecker or nuthatch； whose old homes it readily appropriates； or； when these birds object； a knot…hole or a hollow fence…rail answers every purpose。 Here； in the summer woods； when family cares beset it； a plaintive； minor whistle replaces the chickadee…dee…dee that Thoreau likens to 〃silver tinkling〃 as he heard it on a frosty morning。
〃Piped a tiny voice near by； Gay and polite； a cheerful cry Chick…chickadeedee！ saucy note Out of sound heart and merry throat； As if it said； 'Good…day； good Sir！ Fine afternoon； old passenger！ Happy to meet you in these places Where January brings few faces。'〃 Emerson。
TUFTED TITMOUSE （Parus bicolor） Titmouse family
Called also： CRESTED TITMOUSE； CRESTED TOMTIT
Length 6 to 6。 inches。 About the size of the English sparrow。 Male and Female Crest high and pointed。 Leaden or ash…gray above； darkest on wings and tail。 Frontlet； bill； and shoulders black； space between eyes gray。 Sides of head dull white。 Under parts light gray； sides yellowish； tinged with red。 Range United States east of plains； and only rarely seen so far north as New England。 Migrations October。 April。 Winter resident； but also found throughout the year in many States。
〃A noisy titmouse is Jack Frost's trumpeter〃 may be one of those few weather…wise proverbs with a grain of truth in them。 As the chickadee comes from the woods with the frost； so it may be noticed his cousin； the crested titmouse； is in more noisy evidence throughout the winter。
One might sometimes think his whistle； like a tugboat's； worked by steam。 But how effectually nesting cares alone can silence it in April！
Titmice always see to it you are not lonely as you walk through the woods。 This lordly tomtit； with his jaunty crest； keeps up a persistent whistle at you as he flits from tree to tree； leading you deeper into the forest； calling out 〃Here…here…here！'； and looking like a pert and jaunty little blue jay； minus his gay clothes。 Mr。 Nehrling translates one of the calls 〃Heedle…deedle…deedle…dee！〃 and another 〃Peto…peto…peto…daytee…daytee！〃 But it is at the former； sharply whistled as the crested titmouse gives it； that every dog pricks up his ears。
Comparatively little has been written about this bird； because it is not often found in New England； where most of the bird litterateurs have lived。 South of New York State； however； it is a common resident； and much respected for the good work it does in destroying injurious insects； though it is more fond of varying its diet with nuts； berries； and seeds than that all…round benefactor； the chickadee。
CANADA JAY （Perisoreus canadensis） Crow and Jay family
Called also： WHISKY JACK OR JOHN； MOOSE…BIRD； MEAT BIRD； VENISON HERON； GREASE…BIRD； CANADIAN CARRION…BIRD； CAMP ROBBER； ＇GRAY JAY； AOU 1998＇
Length 11 to 12 inches。 About two inches larger than the robin。 Male and Female Upper p arts gray； darkest on wings and tail； back of the head and nape of the neck sooty； almost black。 Forehead； throat； and neck white； and a few white tips on wings and tail。 Underneath lighter gray。 Tail long。 Plumage fluffy。 Range Northern parts of the United States and British Provinces of North America。 Migrations Resident where found。
The Canada jay looks like an exaggerated chickadee； and both birds are equally fond of bitter cold weather； but here the similarity stops short。 Where the chickadee is friendly the jay is impudent and bold； hardly less of a villain than his blue relative when it comes to marauding other birds' nests and destroying their young。 With all his vices； however； intemperance cannot be attributed to him； in spite of the name given him by the Adirondack lumbermen and guides。 〃Whisky John〃 is a purely innocent corruption of 〃Wis…ka…tjon；〃 as the Indians call this bird that haunts their camps and familiarly enters their wigwams。 The numerous popular names by which the Canada jays are known are admirably accounted for by Mr。 Hardy in a bulletin issued by the Smithsonian Institution。
〃They will enter the tents； and often alight on the bow of a canoe； where the paddle at every stroke comes within eighteen inches of them。 I know nothing which can be eaten that they will not take； and I had one steal all my candles； pulling them out endwise； one by one； from a piece of birch bark in which they were rolled； and another peck a large hole in a keg of castile soap。 A duck which I had picked and laid down for a few minutes； had the entire breast eaten out by one or more of these birds。 I have seen one alight in the middle of my canoe and peck away at the carcass of a beaver I had skinned。 They often spoil deer saddles by pecking into them near the kidneys。 They do great damage to the trappers by stealing the bait from traps set for martens and minks and by eating trapped game。 They will sit quietly and see you build a log trap and bait it； and then； almost before your back is turned； you hear their hateful ca…ca…ca！ as they glide down and peer into it。 They will work steadily； carrying off meat and hiding it。 I have thrown out pieces； and watched one to see how much he would carry off。 He flew across a wide stream； and in a short time looked as bloody as a butcher from carrying large pieces； but his patience held out longer than mine。 I think one would work as long as Mark Twain's California jay did trying to fill a miner's cabin with acorns through a knot…hole in the root。 They are fond of the berries of the mountain ash； and； in fact； few things come amiss； I believe they do not possess a single good quality except industry。〃
One virtue not mentioned by Mr。 Hardy is their prudent saving from the summer surplus to keep the winter storeroom well supplied like a squirrel's。 Such thrift is the more necessary when a clamorous； hungry family of young jays must be reared while the thermometer is often as low as thirty degrees below zero at the end of March。 How eggs are ever hatched at all in a temperature calculated to freeze any sitting bird stiff；
