The Great Tit 



THIS is the largest and most handsome 

 member of the Titmouse family inhabit- 

 ing our country. His black head, white 

 cheeks, olive green back, and yellow under- 

 pays divided from the chin downwards by a 

 black line render him quite unmistakable 

 even to the most careless observer. The 

 male is easily distinguished from the female 

 by the fact that the black line down the 

 centre of his breast is broader and more 

 defined. 



The Great Tit, or Oxeye, as it is frequently 

 called, is common in orchards, gardens, woods, 

 plantations, and wherever trees and shrubs 

 abound. It feeds upon grubs, caterpillars, 

 and insects in summer, but in winter will 

 readily devour the kernels of hazel nuts, 

 which it splits by repeatedly hammering with 

 its powerful bill, Indian corn thrown down 

 in woods for pheasants and almost any other 

 kind of grain. Along with other tits it can 



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