524 AVES— TITMOUSE. 



harmony continues several months, beginning early in the spring, on pairing. 

 In winter they assemble in flocks, when their song forsakes them, ani the 

 bird-catchers destroy them in great numbers, for the tables of the luxurious. 



The common food of the young larks is worms and insects; but after they 

 are grown up they live chiefly on seeds, herbage, and most other vegetable 

 substances 



There are many other larks found in Europe, the most noted of which, 

 next to the skylark, is the woodlark, which surpasses the skylark in rich- 

 ness, though not in variety of song. 



THE BEARDED TITMOUSE* 



Is about six inches long, and distinguished by a tuft of black feathers under 

 each eye, resembling a mustachio. It is common in the marshes near 

 London, and has erroneously been classed among the butcher-birds. The 

 titmouse, which is also called the tomtit, bluecap, and nun, is about four 

 inches and a half in length, and has a straight black bill, about half an inch 

 long, pretty thick. The crown of the head is of a fine blue color; from the 

 bill to the eyes there is a black line ; and the forehead and cheeks are white. 

 The latter color descends as low as the shoulders and middle part of the 

 back, where it appears more shaded with a glossy green ; the rump is of a 

 fine blue. The quill feathers have some of their tips white, some blue, 

 others green ; the covert feathers by their white tips make a small trans- 

 verse white line upon each wing. The breast, belly, and thighs are yellow, 

 with a broad black line passing from the throat down the middle of the 

 breast to the vent. The tail is about two inches and a half long, of a black 

 color, except the outward edges of some of the feathers, which are blue. 

 The legs and feet are a sort of lead color. 



These birds feed on insects, seeds, and fruit. They often excite alarm in 

 the owners of gardens, under the idea that they are destroying the buds, 

 while, in fact, they are engaged in the beneficial operation of seeking for the 

 caterpillars that infest them. They are very prolific, laying from fourteen 

 to twenty eggs at a time. If the eggs be touched, the female forsakes her 

 nest, and builds again. Titmice will venture to assault birds that are 

 twice or thrice their own bulk, and in this case they direct their aim chiefly 

 at the eyes. They often seize upon birds that are weaker than themselves ; 

 which they kill, and having picked a hole in their skull, eat out their brains. 



1 Paras biarmicus, Lin. The germs Pariis has the hill short, straight, strong, conical, com- 

 pressed, terminating in a point, base with small hairs ; nostrils basal, rounded, concealed 

 by projecting feathers ; legs stont ; toes divided to their origin, nail of the hind one 

 strongest and most bent; "wing feathers the first of medium length, or almost deficient, the 

 fourth and fifth the longest. 



