66 Tlie British Naturalist. 



therefore, that we find the British Naturalist standing up itl 

 defence of their character, and bearing his testimony in their 

 favour. Common justice as well as humanity compels us 

 to transfer his remarks on this subject to our own pages. 



" The titmice are among the most active and courageous creatures of their 

 size with which we are acquainted ; and they are also exceeding useful to 

 man ; useful, indeed, in preventing the whole of the trees from being de- 

 voured by insects. In spring they are pruners, whisking about and cutting 

 off opening buds with their strong conical beaks ; and, though they be 

 often blamed for that part of their economy, it is always an advantage, as 

 they care riot for the bud itself, but only for the worm that it contains, 

 which worm would be certain to destroy that bud before it underwent its 

 transformation, and might, in the course of the season, produce a progeny 

 that would destroy thousands more. In the later period of the season, 

 when the eggs of insects cease to be hatched in leaves, and new ones are 

 deposited in the crevices of the bark, the habits of the titmice change, and 

 they become tree creepers, running along the stems and branches in all 

 directions with the greatest ease and rapidity, and clearing the crevices of 

 every living thing that they can discover. There is no bird that it is more 

 amusing to watch than a titmouse, when it is thus occupied ; their mo- 

 tions are so lively, and they can run back undermost with the greatest 

 ease." (p. 308, 309.) 



" In a fruit country, the destruction of the great titmice would be about 

 as wise and profitable as the extirpation of rooks has proved to be to those 

 grain farmers, and even grass farmers, that have attempted it." (p. 311.) 



Again : — 



" As the blue-cap is among the trees at all seasons, the quantity of in- 

 sects which it destroys, and the number of which it prevents the existence, 

 must be very great ; and therefore it and its congeners, and indeed all the 

 scandent birds that feed upon insects, are to be regarded as nature's guar- 

 dians of the orchard and the forest ; and when we take that in conjunc- 

 tion with the handsome appearance and lively manners of this little bird, 

 we find such a union of beauty and utility as makes us forget that those 

 birds have no tuneful song." (p. 320.) 



Their note, however, it may be remarked, though harsh 

 and unmusical in itself (it has not unaptly been compared 

 to the filing of a saw), is yet from association agreeable, being 

 among the very earliest intimations of approaching spring. 

 For a somewhat similar reason, the scream of the swift, 

 which is chiefly heard in the most serene summer weather, 

 is to our ears one of the most joyous and delightful sounds in 

 nature. 



" Sounds inharmonious in themselves and harsh. 

 Yet heard in scenes where peace for ever reigns. 

 And only there, please highly for their sake." 



Cowper, 



any portion of the earth's surface, ought to learn something of natural 

 history ; for otherwise he runs the risk of persecuting and destroying his 

 best friends. 



