96 GREAT TITMOUSE. 



being usually selected ; but many curious situations are on record, 

 such as the inside of a pump in constant use, a shelf in a three- 

 cornered cupboard, and the interior of an inverted flower-pot ; one 

 of the latter in the British Museum containing tJure new nests ! 

 Sometimes the foundations of old abodes of other birds, such as 

 Crows, Rooks and Magpies, or squirrels' dreys, are utilized, but 

 more frequently on the Continent than in this country. The struc- 

 ture consists of soft moss, surmounted by a warm bed of hair, wool 

 and feathers, felted together. The eggs, 6-9, are white, spotted 

 and blotched with light red : average measurements, "7 by "55 in. 

 Two broods are produced in the season. The Great Titmouse may 

 often be seen roving from tree to tree in our gardens and shel- 

 tered districts ; sometimes hanging back downwards by its strong 

 claws, while searching for insects, its principal food. No doubt the 

 bird destroys many buds ; but it is in many cases certain, and always 

 probable, that such buds already contained grubs which would not 

 only have put a stop to the growth of the sprouts, but would have 

 inflicted further damage upon the trees. In the autumn and winter 

 it cracks and eats nuts and hard seeds, but on the whole its pre- 

 dilections are decidedly for ' animal ' food. In cold weather the 

 lover of birds may enjoy watching the actions of this and allied 

 species, by suspending a piece of raw meat, a bone, or a lump of 

 suet, from some bough or iron standard outside the windows. The 

 Great Titmouse will attack small and weakly birds, splitting their 

 skulls with its powerful beak in order to get at their brains ; and it 

 has even been known to serve a Bat in this manner. Its usual note 

 in spring resembles the sound produced by sharpening a saw with a 

 file, and may be heard at a considerable distance ; its call-note is a 

 low zee ; and some individuals display great power of imitating 

 other birds. 



Adult male : crown of the head bluish-black ; a band of the same 

 colour descends each side of the neck, "behind the white cheeks 

 and ear-coverts ; on the nape is a small spot of whitish, passing into 

 yellowish-olive which pervades the mantle ; wing-coverts bluish- 

 grey, with white tips which form a transverse bar; quills dark 

 brown with paler margins ; tail-feathers slate-grey, the outer pair 

 tipped and margined with white ; chin, throat, and a stripe down 

 the centre of the breast to the vent, black ; sides and flanks dull 

 sulphur-yellow ; bill black ; legs and feet lead-colour. Length 

 5-75 in. ; wing to the tip of 4th and longest primary 3 in. The 

 female is duller in colour than the male ; the young have a tinge 

 of yellow on the cheeks. 



