i6o ENGLISH BIRD LIFE 



both kill and partly devour birds almost equal to 

 himself in size. 



It is certain that in captivity, in association with 

 other species, he is a dangerous character. On 

 many occasions I found certain inmates of a large 

 aviary — Linnets, Lesser Redpolls and others- 

 lying dead with their skulls broken, the brain from 

 the cavities being neatly picked. At first I at- 

 tributed this to mice, but one day I saw a Great Tit 

 leap upon a feeding bird and brain it with repeated 

 blows of its pickaxe-like bill, holding, the while, 

 the head like a nut in the claws. 



This bird soon discovered a small opening in the 

 wall, which enabled him to get behind the plaster. 

 Whenever he was at all alarmed, he took refuge in 

 this recess, from which it was impossible to dis- 

 lodge him ; showing thereby that he quite realized 

 the limited area of his prison, for it is clear that 

 no bird of his character would hide himself if he 

 believed that any other way of escape were open. 



The Great Titmouse is by no means particular in 

 his choice of diet. Insects, in their various stages, 

 probably form his staple food, but in harder times 

 he will take anything at all edible which mav come 

 to hand. In common with others of his kin, he is 

 especially fond of the cocoa-nut, or he will join the 

 dog in overhauling any stray bone. He will, at 

 times, frequent the landing-boards of bee-hives in 

 search of dead bees, and it has been stated that he 

 taps the sides of the hives with his bill to arouse 

 the inmates, in order to seize upon them when they 

 emerge. He also shows a marked predilection for 

 the seeds of the sunflower. 



