The King of the Tits 



The oxeye, as the great tit is as often called, 

 except in books, is a bit of a ruffian himself, and, 

 being possessed of claws like steel springs, and 

 an uncommonly hard beak, which he uses with 

 much effect as a pick, can and does commit atro- 

 cities in the way of avicide in captivity, as many 

 a fancier can bear testimony. A century ago, 

 Bechstein observed that he had known one of 

 these birds attack and kill a quail — a bird twice 

 its own size, and no mean fighter to boot — and 

 more recently Dr. A. G. Butler has related how 

 he kept nine great tits in two large cages, where 

 they eliminated each other till only one was left 

 in each. Want of room compelled him to try 

 these together, but their ferocity was not ap- 

 peased, and the very next morning a few frag- 

 ments were all that were left of one. The 

 concentrated cannibal which remained lived to 

 moult twice ; but, curiously enough, it lost its 

 beauty of plumage, becoming very pale, and in 

 particular assuming a dirty cream-coloured breast 

 instead of a yellow one. Lest this should be 

 rashly attributed to retributive justice, it may be 

 mentioned, that Mr. J. G. Keulemans describes 

 a very similar result in captive oxeyes which have 

 been allowed to indulge in milk. Of this many 

 insectivorous birds are very fond in captivity, 

 although it is such an unnatural food ; and its 

 effect on the great tit is to discharge the yellow 



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