64 BIRD NOTES 



went to see what was the matter, and there it 

 stood an old bird, I think an habitue in a fluff 

 of indignation, between a sparrow and a chaffinch. 

 Did it wish to call me to its assistance in the 

 maintenance of its rights, or was it trying to fly 

 through the window, just a little bit afraid of the 



two strong beaks ? 



November 12, 1882. 



I saw to-day, for the first time since the very 

 hard winter that slew so many birds, a long-tailed 

 tit. It was very shy. There was a golden-crested 

 wren in the garden the other day. My attention 

 was called to it by the scolding of a small blue tit, 

 who chose to consider it an intruder. The birds 

 are already very tame at my window ; quite a 

 little flock of them come to greet me. I do not 

 mean that they all settle upon the window-sill 

 together. They are far too much afraid of each 

 other for that. But they come and go and flit 

 about till I put out the food, and then they take a 

 bit and a snap, or stay and feed, as the case may 

 be. 



I believe I have as my pensioners one pair of 

 nuthatches (one is smaller than the other, and I 

 suppose it is a pair ; but they never come quite 

 together, and seem very much afraid of one 

 another), four blue tits, two cole tits, one robin 

 (or two, I am not sure ; there are two about, a 



