156 ENGLISH BIRD LIFE 



his diet, like that of the Creeper, consists of 

 insects. 



The Nuthatch is not noteworthy as a songster, 

 but his loud call-note, " twi-twi — twi-twi," many 

 times repeated, and in spring accompanied by a 

 shrill whistling sound, adds not a little to the varied 

 music of English woodlands. 



In the pairing season, the male bird bows to its 

 mate, ruffling the feathers on his breast and ex- 

 panding his tail, something after the manner of a 

 pigeon. The hen, when sitting, has the Tit-like 

 habit of hissing, and even striking with her bill, at 

 an intruder's hand. 



One characteristic of this species, which is shared 

 with the Creeper and the Common Wren, is that it 

 shows little or none of the migratory instinct. 



Titmice 



Of the seven varieties of Titmice which are 

 resident in Great Britain, five may be fairly 

 regarded as familiar. The Crested Tit is con- 

 fined to a few of the older forests in the north 

 of Scotland; two or three occurrences only for 

 England having been noted. The Bearded Tit — the 

 interesting little Reed Pheasant, found in certain 

 fenny districts in England — must also be classed as 

 a rare bird, and, moreover, is not a true Titmouse 

 at all. Of the five species remaining, all have cer- 

 tain characteristics in common, but each has, none 

 the less, some distinguishing trait which at once 

 sets it apart from its fellows. The largest of this 



