98 THE BLUE TITMOUSE. 



of the Wren in the following verse of an ancient Scottish 

 song, called " Lennox's Love to Blantyre " : — 



Where 's the ring I gae thee, 



Of yellow gold sae fine ? 

 I gae 't to my love Oxee, 



A true sweetheart o' mine. 



The Blue Titmouse is very common, and is found in our 

 woods, roadside strips, gardens, and hedgerows, nearly all 

 the year round ; where its active and amusing habits while 

 busily engaged searching amongst the branches, twigs, and 

 buds of the trees and bushes for insect food, and its cheerful 

 spring call-note of " Chicka-chicka, chee-chee-chee," seldom 

 fails to attract attention. 



During severe weather in winter, when the trees and 

 hedgerows are covered with snow, it frequents the neigh- 

 bourhood of farm-yards and houses, and may then be seen 

 clinging round the eaves of stacks in search of food, or in 

 company with sparrows, and other small birds, picking up 

 seeds about the threshing-mill door — 



The birds flock silent and forlorn 

 To barn-door step or granary eaves, 



And seek their scanty pittance there, 



For fields and hedgerows all are bare 

 Of fruit or sheltering leaves. 



Walter Chisholm. 



It is a partial migrant, and is seen passing the lighthouses 

 on the coasts of England and Scotland on migration in 

 spring and autumn.-^ 



1 The Blue Titmouse was observed on migration in Autumn 1881. — At 

 Fames, 20th Oct. Autumn 1882.— Fames, 8th Oct. Spring 1883.— Fames, 8th 

 March. Autumn 1883. — Fames, 7th Oct. The above appear to be the only 

 instances in the Reports on the Migration of Birds, as far as the lighthouses at 

 the Fames and Isle of May are concerned, where the Blue Titmouse has actually 

 been identified. Doubtless many Blue Titmice are included among the " Titmice " 

 which are pretty regularly reported as observed on migration at these two stations 

 in spring and autumn. 



