1 6 BIRD LIFE GLIMPSES 



of spruce-needles, but they, likewise, pull at and 

 examine the needles themselves, so may, perhaps, 

 find some minute insects at their bases. They eat 

 the buds of the larch, too, and, as said before, 

 whatever they can get by prying and probing about, 

 on the trunks of all these firs — especially that of 

 the Scotch one, which they search, sometimes, very 

 industriously. Whilst thus engaged they say at 

 intervals, ''Woo-tee, woo-tee, woo-tee " (or "Wee- 

 tee," a sound between the two), and sometimes 

 **Tooey, tooey, tooey-too ; tooey, tooey, tooey- 

 too." They flit quickly from place to place, and, 

 both in this and their way of feeding generally, a 

 good deal resemble the little golden wrens. The 

 latter, however, are brisker, more fairy-like, and 

 still more difficult to watch. Yet, do not let me 

 wrong the coal-tit — he moves most daintily. Every 

 little hop is a little flutter with the wings, a little 

 flirt with the tail. His little legs you hardly see. 

 He has a little game — not hop, skip, and jump, but 

 hop, flirt, and flutter. His motion combines all 

 three — in what proportions, how or when varying, 

 that no man knoweth. How, exactly, he gets to any 

 place that he would, you do not see, you cannot tell 

 — he is there, that you see, but the rest is doubtful. 

 He does not know, himself, I believe. " Aber fra^ 

 mich nurnicht wie ^'' he might say, with Heine, if you 

 asked him about it. 



But if there is such a mystery in the movements 

 of the coal-tit, what is to be said about those of the 

 long-tailed one } Most unfair would it be to omit 

 him, now that the other has been mentioned. Nor 

 will I. Dear little birdikins ! The naturalist must 



