72 OUR BIRD ALLIES. 
CHAPTER V- 
TITMICE AND THRUSHES. 
TITMICE—The Great Tit—Its cannibalistic practices—The 
Great Tit as a fruit-eater—Its nest and eggs—The Blue 
Tit—Its valuable services—Does the Blue Tit destroy blos- 
soms ?>—Nesting arrangements of the bird —The Long-tailed 
Tit—Its wonderful architectural skill—Number of eggs— 
A crowded dwelling—WaAcGTAILS-—The Yellow Wagtail— 
Nature of its food—THRuSHES—The Redwing—lIts diet 
and value to the farmer—The Blackbird—Prevost Paradol 
upon its food—The Blackbird in the fruit-garden—Its 
value to mankind—Nest of the Blackbird—Its want of 
common sense—A feathered economist—The Thrush—Its 
fondness for snails—‘* Thrush-stones ”—General diet of the 
bird—Nesting arrangements of the Thrush—The Fieldfare 
—FLYCATCHERS—The Spotted Flycatcher—Its value to 
man—A working day of seventeen hours—Nest of the 
Spotted Flycatcher—The Pied Flycatcher—Its nest and 
eggs. 
Wuo does not know the Titmice, those bold, saucy 
little creatures which almost force themselves upon 
one’s notice, and which are so commonly to be seen 
in all parts of the country ? 
Little is there to be said against these pretty and 
inoffensive birds, whose diet consists wholly of insects, 
and which carry on the warfare with man’s enemies 
throughout the entire year. Several species are 
natives of Great Britain, and of these we will select 
