TITS^, OR TITMICE. 13 



It flif^g qnickly, with an undnlatory or wavo-liko motion, and seems 

 to bo sciirccly ever at rest, tliruwing itself into all sorts oE grotesque 

 attitudes, as though it hardly know how to express its joy, and making 

 tho woods ring again with its che-cJiee, chc-chce; chica-chica-r.heo ; tzit, 

 tzit, tzit, dea-deo; witzeo; the last many times and rapidly repeated. 

 Then it chatters and chirps, and utters a shrill cheep, and sometimes 

 a sharp metallic twinh, which is heard even in winter. At this latter 

 season tho Marsh Tits become somewhat gregarious, going about in 

 small flocks, which, as spring approaches, pair off, and begin to look 

 out for a nesting place. The pairs arc said sometimes to remain attached 

 for lifo, and to exhibit great affection for each other, tho male bird 

 frequently feeding tho sitting female. If one is caught in a trap, 

 the other will, if possible, visit the prisoner, and so gets captured also. 

 They are very tender and watchful over their young, as all the Tits 

 arc, using almost incredible exertion and care in obtaining them a 

 sufficiency of food; this of course is entirely insects, and the old 

 birds feed on these as much as they can; when this fails, seeds, 

 grain, young plants, and even carrion. 



The nest of this species appears to be somewhat more carefully 

 made than that of the Tits generally; it is formed of moss, wood, 

 grass, willow catkins, wool, horso hair, or any other soft substance 

 obtainable; it is placed in the hollow of a tree, sometimes specially 

 made by the bird for the purpose, — so it is stated by Montagu, 

 who has seen the little carpenter at work, and noticed that he carried 

 bis chips some distance from the tree, that they might not betray 

 the whereabout of its nest; if this be true, it seems to indicate the 

 possession of a reasoning power, altogether beyond mere instinct. 

 The eggs of this species vary in number from five to nine, sometimes, 

 though rarely, exceeding that number. They are almost round in 

 shape, of a dull white colour, with red spots, plentiful at the thickest 

 end, and almost or quite absent at the thinnest. Towards the end of 

 July the young brood is ready for flight. 



About throe drachms is generally the weight of the male bird, 

 the length about four inches and a half. The plumage is prettily 

 diversified, although not so gay as that of the Blue Tit; it is 

 composed of brown, black, and white, with the intermediate shades 

 of grey, and tinges of green and yellow. As with the other Tits, 

 and indeed with most of our smaller birds, the female difiers from 

 the male in having the colours of tho ]ilumage more sobered and 

 subdued, the blacks being less glossy and decided, and greys and 

 browns pi-edominating. 



