968 TITMOUSE 
recognition at present being wholly subjective to the view taken 
by the investigator of the group. Dr. Gadow (Cat. B. Br. Mus. 
viii. pp. 3-53) in 1883 recognized forty-eight, besides several sub- 
species, while others have since been described.! North-American 
ornithologists include some fifteen as inhabitants of Canada and the 
United States ; but scarcely two writers agree on this point, owing 
to the existence of so many local forms. Of the species belonging 
to the Indian and Ethiopian Faunas there is no space here to 
treat, and for the same reason the presumably allied forms of 
Australia and New Zealand must be left unnoticed. During the 
greater part of the year the various species of the genus Parus 
associate in family parties in a way that has been already described 
(MIGRATION, p. 554), and only break up into pairs at the beginning 
of the breeding-season. The nests are nearly always placed in a 
hollow stump, and consist of a mass of moss, feathers and hair, 
the last being worked almost into a kind of felt. Thereon the 
eggs, often to the number of eight or nine, are laid, and these have 
a translucent white shell, freckled or spotted with rust-colour. 
The first plumage of the young closely resembles that of the 
parents ; but, so far as is known, it has always a yellower tinge, 
very apparent on the parts, if there be such, which in the adult 
are white. Few birds are more restless in disposition, and if 
“irritability ” be the test of high organization, as one systematist 
asserts, the Paridx should stand very near the top of the list. 
Most of the European species and some of the North-American 
become familiar, haunting the neighbourhood of houses,” especially 
in winter, and readily availing themselves of such scraps of food, 
about the nature of which they are not particular, as they can get.® 
Akin to the genus Parus, but in many respects differing from 
1 Some of the most interesting, to the European ornithologist, of this genus, 
as well as of Acredula, presently to be mentioned, are figured by Mr. Dresser in 
the Supplement to his Birds of Lurope (pls. 655-661). 
2 By gardeners every Titmouse is generally regarded as an enemy, for it 
is supposed to do infinite damage to the buds of fruit-trees and bushes ; but 
the accusation is wholly false, for the buds destroyed are always found to be 
those to which a grub—the bird’s real object—has got access, so that there can 
be little doubt that the Titmouse is a great benefactor to the horticulturist, 
and hardly ever more so than when the careless spectator of its deeds is supposing 
it to be bent on mischief. 
3 Persons fond of watching the habits of birds may with little trouble provide 
a pleasing spectacle by adopting the plan, practised by the late Mr. A. E. Inox, 
of hanging a lump of suet or tallow by a short string to the end of a flexible rod 
stuck aslant into the ground close to the window of asitting-room. It is seldom 
long before a Titmouse of some kind finds the dainty, and once found visits are 
made to it until every morsel is picked off. The attitudes of the birds as they 
cling to the swinging lure are very diverting and none but a Titmouse can 
succeed in keeping a foothold upon it. 
a 
