BLUE TIT, 331 



injury to fruit trees when searching for food, by destroying 

 the buds as well as the insects. Several experienced ob- 

 servers, however, believe that this bird does more good than 

 harm. Mr. Selby says, " I am convinced that the trifling 

 injury occasionally committed by the abrasion of a few flower 

 buds is more than compensated by the destruction of innu- 

 merable larvse and eggs of the insect tribe, which are usually 

 deposited in or about those essential parts of fructification ; 

 and which, if allowed to proceed through the necessary 

 changes, would effectually check all hope of produce." 

 Other evidence will be adduced. 



The Blue Tit builds in a hole in a wall or a tree ; the nest 

 is made up of a profusion of moss, hair, and feathers ; the 

 eggs are variable in number, sometimes very numerous. 

 Montagu mentions six or seven ; Pennant names from twelve 

 to fourteen ; Mr. Heysham has also found fourteen eggs in a 

 nest ; and Mr. Hewitson has recorded one instance in which 

 the nest contained eighteen eggs. From eight to ten eggs, 

 however, is the more common number; they are white, 

 spotted with pale red, measuring seven lines and a half in 

 length, and six lines in diameter. 



When the Blue Tit has taken possession of a hole in a 

 wall, or in a decayed tree, she is not easily induced to quit 

 it, but defends her nest and eggs with great courage and 

 perseverance, puffing out her feathers, hissing like an angry 

 kitten, and goes by the name of Billy Biter among the bird- 

 nesting boys of several counties, from a vivid recollection of 

 certain impressions made on their fingers. A female that 

 had taken possession of a small wooden box hung up against 

 an outbuilding, into which she had earned abundance of 

 materials for her nest, and in the midst of which she was 

 then sitting upon her numerous eggs, allowed herself to be 

 carried in the box into a house for examination, and when 

 the box was replaced in its former situation, she did not 



