20 BI'RDS OF P. E. ISLAND. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ‘Tflitmnmzz Jamfly. 
     
    
   
   
    
     BLACK—CAPPED CHICKADEE. 
     
    
   
   
    
     (Parus atrz'mpz'llus) 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Chickadees are the most common birds in 
     
     in our winter woods. You no sooner enter the 
     
     snow-draped thicket than out bobs a tiny black 
     
     head to greet you with a merry pee-deg, and you 
     
     see the little songsters flitting everywhere in the 
     
     frozen boughs, perfectly at home as they pounce 
     
     on the dormant insects that infest the foliage. 
     
     Their activity is ceaseless. Flitting, twirling like 
     
     acrobats on the naked sprays, heels up, head up, 
     
     it makes no difference. Calling from the loftiest 
     
     tree top, whispering from the low thicket, they 
     
     are the very spirits of the winter wood-lands, with- 
     
     out which these would often be destitute of 
     
     animate life. 
     
    

    
     The Black-capped Chickadee is distinguished 
     
     by his clear-ashy coat, and whitish vest, and 
     
     conspicuous black crown and throat. Female 
     
     the same color. The nest is built in a hole in 
     
     a stump, which the little architect excavates for