THE GREATER TIT. 37 



mg the best for taking those birds that are for the 

 house. 



In autumn and spring, the bird-catcher should go 

 into an orchard, or any other place much frequented 

 by oxeyes, carrying one with him as a decoy ; this must 

 be placed on the ground in a small square cage, and 

 some sticks, with lime twigs fastened to them, fixed 

 obliquely around it. The tits, attracted by curiosity, 

 or the desire of approaching one of their own species 

 that calls them, quickly descend, and are caught in the 

 lime twigs. A whistle made of the bone of a goose's 

 leg succeeds still better ; with this instrument all the 

 tits in the neighbourhood are quickly assembled ; for 

 the tone being stronger than the natural call, it is 

 heard farther ; if there are but few of these birds near, 

 they are sure to be all caught. 



They are easily attracted, in winter, to a trap, by 

 the kernels of nuts, lard, and oats. This trap should 

 be placed in a garden, with a little oat straw fastened 

 under in such a way that it may be seen at a distance, 

 as the tits are instantly attracted thereby. It is a 

 small box a foot in length, and eighteen inches in 

 height and width, the sides of which, when not made 

 of small boards painted green, are formed of small 

 elder sticks, tied or screwed to the four corner sticks ; 

 in this case only two small boards are required, one 

 for the bottom, the other for the cover, which must be 

 fastened on with packthread, and turn as with hinges; 

 from the middle of the bottom rises a peg supporting 

 a cross stick, with a nut kernel at one end, and a little 

 lard at the other ; this cross stick supports a small 

 perpendicular one, which keeps the cover open three 

 or four inches. When a tit hops on the cross stick 

 and begins pecking the nut or lard, the cover falls, and 

 the bird ia caught. 



The oxeye, like the other tits, assembles in numbers 



