that　serves　as　a　nest　is　saddled；　four　or　five　buff…speckled　eggs　are　laid；　and　by　some　special　dispensation　rarely　fall　out　of　their　insecure　cradle。
  A　sharp；　loud　whistle；　wheuo…wheu…o…wheu…o；　rings　out　from　the　throat　of　this　olive…sided　tyrant；　warning　all　intruders　off　the　premises；　but　however　harshly　he　may　treat　the　rest　of　the　feathered　world；　he　has　only　gentle　devotion　to　offer　his　brooding　mate。
  LEAST　FLYCATCHER　（Empidonax　minimus）　Flycatcher　family
  Called　also：　CHEBEC
  Length　　5　to　5。5　inches。　About　an　inch　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　　Gray　or　olive…gray　above；　paler　on　wings　and　lower　part　　　of　back；　and　a　more　distinct　olive…green　on　head。　Underneath　　　grayish　white；　sometimes　faintly　suffused　with　pale　yellow。　　　wings　have　whitish　bars。　White　eye…ring。　Lower　half　of　bill　　　　horn　color。　Female　is　slightly　more　yellowish　underneath。　Range　　Eastern　North　America；　from　tropics　northward　to　Quebec；　　Migrations　　May。　September。　Common　summer　resident。
  This；　the　smallest　member　of　its　family；　takes　the　place　of　the　more　southerly　Acadian　flycatcher；　throughout　New　England　and　the　region　of　the　Great　Lakes。　But；　unlike　his　Southern　relative；　he　prefers　orchards　and　gardens　close　to　our　homes　for　his　hunting　grounds　rather　than　the　wet　recesses　of　the　forests。　Che…bec；　che…bec；　the　diminutive　olive…pated　gray　sprite　calls　out　from　the　orchard　between　his　aerial　sallies　after　the　passing　insects　that　have　been　attracted　by　the　decaying　fruit；　and　chebec　is　the　name　by　which　many　New　Englanders　know　him。
  While　giving　this　characteristic　call…note；　with　drooping　jerking　tail；　trembling　wings；　and　uplifted　parti…colored　bill；　he　looks　unnerved　and　limp　by　the　effort　it　has　cost　him。　But　in　the　next　instant　a　gnat　flies　past。　How　quickly　the　bird　recovers　itself；　and　charges　full…tilt　at　his　passing　dinner！　The　sharp　click　of　his　little　bill　proves　that　he　has　not　missed　his　aim；　and　after　careering　about　in　the　air　another　minute　or　two；　looking　for　more　game　to　snap　up　on　the　wing；　he　will　return　to　the　same　perch　and　take　up　his　familiar　refrain。　Without　hearing　this　call…note　one　might　often　mistake　the　bird　for　either　the　wood　pewee　or　the　phoebe；　for　all　the　three　are　similarly　clothed　and　have　many　traits　in　common。　The　slightly　large　size　of　the　phoebe　and　pewee　is　not　always　apparent　when　they　are　seen　perching　on　the　trees。　Unlike　the　〃tuft　of　hay〃　to　which　the　Acadian　flycatcher's　nest　has　been　likened；　the　least　flycatcher's　home　is　a　neat；　substantial　cup…shaped　cradle　softly　lined　with　down　or　horsehair；　and　placed　generally　in　an　upright　crotch　of　a　tree；　well　above　the　ground。
  THE　CHICKADEE　（Parus　atricapillus）　Titmouse　family
  Called　also：　BLACK…CAPPED　TITMOUSE；　BLACK…CAP　TIT；　＇BLACK…CAPPED　　　CHICKADEE；　AOU　1998＇
  Length　　5　to　5。5　inches。　About　an　inch　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Not　crested。　Crown　and　nape　and　throat　black。　　　Above　gray；　slightly　tinged　with　brown。　A　white　space；　　　beginning　at　base　of　bill；　extends　backwards；　widening　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