LONG-TAILED TITS 21 



day long), it would not eat till it had piped up a 

 companion to eat with it. In order to accommo- 

 date so many long tails in so confined a space, 

 they would stick them almost straight up into the 

 air to be out of each other's way. One evening, I 

 remember, when it was getting dark, a little thing 

 came alone and piped for a long time without 

 being able to make any of its companions hear. 

 It took no notice of me, though I put my face 

 close to it. At last I began to think it would stay 

 all night, and was wishing I could open the 

 window without alarming it, and take it in, when 

 all in a moment it was gone ; I suppose it at 

 last heard a voice in the distance answering it. I 

 believe they sleep closely clustered together on a 

 bough side by side, and probably could not sleep 

 otherwise. No doubt union is warmth to them, if 

 not strength. Perhaps it is strength too ; though 

 so small, they never seem afraid when all together. 

 Very gentle birds they are, but I did once see one 

 defy a blue tit, and very pretty its anger was. The 

 blue tits, though they had not at that time made 

 themselves so much at home as they did after- 

 wards, were not at all kind to them. I was 

 obliged sometimes to play the policeman among 

 them, and to protect the delicate little long-tailed 

 tits from the others. This I was able to do 

 because the blue tits could see me when the others 



