148 PARID^. 



de grdce. His skill and discrimination in pecking holes 

 in the sunniest side of ripe apples and pears are well 

 known ; but to this reward for his services in destroying 

 caterpillars he is justly entitled. 



The Great Tit builds its nest generally in the hole of a 

 tree, employing as materials moss and leaves, and, for the 

 lining, hair and feathers ; but as its habits lead it to our 

 gardens, it comes into close contact with human beings 

 and becomes familiar with them. Hence it occasionally 

 builds its nest in quaint places, which bear ever so distant 

 a resemblance to its natural haunts. An unused pump 

 affords it an excellent harbour ; and the drawer of an old 

 table, left in an outhouse, has been found thus occupied. 



The notes of the Great Tit are various, but not musical. 

 Its spring song must be familiar to every one ; though not 

 every one who hears it knows who is the musician. It 

 consists of but two notes, repeated frequently, and sounding 

 as if made by a bird alternately drawing in and sending 

 out its breath ; both together give a fair imitation of 

 the sharpening of a saw with a file. Besides this, it in- 

 dulges in a variety of chirps, twitters, and cheeps, some 

 angry, some deprecatory, and some pert, which a practised 

 ear only can refer to their j^roper author. 



THE BLUE TIT. 



PARUS CCERULEUS. 



Crown of the head blue, encircled with white ; cheeks white, bordered with 

 dark blue ; back olive-green ; wings and tail bluish ; greater coverts and 

 secondaries tipped with white ; breast and abdomen yellow, traversed by a 

 dark blue line. Length four inches and a half ; breadth seven inches and a 

 half. Eggs as in the preceding, but smaller. 



The Blue or Tom Tit so closely resembles the Great Tit in 

 its habits, that, with trifling exceptions, a description of 

 one would be equally applicable to the other. Though 

 much smaller than his relative, the Tom Tit is equally 



