434 PARUS CCERULEUS. 



tionary for a moment, but frisking about with a jerking motion, 

 searching all the little chinks and crannies, pecking at the back of 

 the leaves, or among the young buds, now hanging with its 

 back downward, now bobbing on the top branch, anon pivot- 

 ing from side to side, erecting the feathers of its head, and 

 ehurring its little objurgatory cry. It is obviously a pert, au- 

 dacious, and irritable little thing. Now it flies to the ground, 

 picks the seeds of the chickweed and other plants, or feasts on 

 the peas, boldly advancing among the sparrows, and little heed- 

 ing your presence. If you happen to be sulky or moody, look on ; 

 you cannot fail to be cheered and soothed by the sight ; so 

 lively, merry, and frisky a creature, must needs divert you ; 

 and, be sure, you will be more innocently employed in watch- 

 ing it than in admiring the most graceful figurante displaying 

 her marvellous acquirements to a crowd of cockneys. Tom-tit 

 is no actor, but an original, and a very clever one withal. 



In winter it may be occasionally seen about the farm-yard, 

 where it finds, when other food fails, a wholesome supply of 

 oat or wheat seeds, which it jerks from their husks, with its 

 wedge-like bill. It also frequents the doors and dunghills, to 

 pick up a bit of suet, or nibble a morsel of flesh ; and where 

 carrion is kept, it is often seen to help itself to a share. Often 

 at this season too you may find it clinging to a wall, and digging 

 at the loose plaster, to get at the insects or pupas concealed be- 

 hind. It will even make occasional excursions into the stubble 

 near hedges or woods ; and, in short, being in a manner omni- 

 vorous, it manages to get through the cold j)art of the year as 

 well as its neighbours. It is accused of attacking other small 

 birds, and splitting their skulls ; but I have neither seen it do 

 so, nor met with any person who has ; and we know how, 

 when an assertion of any kind, however incredible, has been 

 made, all the ornithologists catch the cry. It reposes in holes 

 in walls, or among ivy, and seems to suffer less in severe frosts 

 than most birds. 



In spring, it still makes excursions into gardens, where it 

 often demolishes the expanding buds of trees, probably to ob- 

 tain the larvag contained in them. At this season, it becomes 

 rather noisy, and emits a variety of cries, of which the most 



