n his leafy carpet, his head erect, he has quite a consequential
air. He derives his name from the fact that his nest, set on the ground,
is globular in form, with the entrance at one side, giving it the
appearance of a small oven.

The gay redstarts, which seem to be so tame and confiding in the early
spring, turn into veritable eremites in the breeding season, seeking the
most secluded portions of the woods as their habitat. Their little nests
are harder to find than one would suppose; yet I have had the good
fortune to watch two females erecting the walls of their tiny cottages,
and a pretty sight it was.

The redstart has some interesting ways. One of them is his habit of
spreading out his wings and tail as he perches or flits about in the
trees, as if he were anxious to display the fiery trimmings that so
elegantly set off his little black suit. Blood will tell, for I have
seen the young redstarts imitating their parents by spreading out their
odd, croppy tails in a comical way.

[Illustration: Chickadee]

How early in life young birds are taught some of the lessons that are
needful for their own safety! One day I heard a young redstart chirping
for his dinner. I quietly thrust my head into the thicket, and soon
espied the birdkin perched on a twig only about a rod away. He either
did not see me, or else decided that I was not a bugaboo. A few minutes
later the mother darted into the enclosure and fed her baby. She was too
much absorbed in her duties to notice me until the repast was over; then
she suddenly caught sight of her unwelcome caller. She stood transfixed
with astonishment for one breathless moment, then uttered a piercing cry
of alarm that sent the little one dashing away like a streak of
lightning. Plainly the youngster understood his mamma's signal, for
until she uttered it he had sat perfectly quiet and unconcerned, perhaps
not even aware of my presence. Birds are taught the language of fear at
a tender age. Of course they learn it so readily because there is a
basis of timidity in their natures, implanted by heredity.

CHICKADEE WAYS*

*Reprinted by permission, from "Our Animal Friends," New York.

In a somewhat casual way, and without going into their natural history,
the last two chapters have indicated the method of making an
acquaintance with new species and of studying the habits of a few wild
birds. A few chapters will now be devoted to a fuller study of a
number o