YOUNG COLE TITS 111 



and look up into my face in the most friendly 

 manner. The cock is especially confident. He 

 has a particular phrase of his much-varied music 

 for me. The robins know my voice and come 

 when called, and like to be talked to. They catch 

 one's eye too, in a way that I do not think the 

 other birds do. The cole tit's eyes can scarcely be 

 seen ; they are so involved in black : this must be 

 a protection to those delicate organs, always first 

 attacked by another bird. 



June 14, 1886. 



Winterly weather still ; though we have had 

 touches of mild summer. My robins and cole tits 

 are as faithful to me as if they had little to live on 

 but my scraps of bacon. But they have raised a 

 good many young ones, and those want feeding. 

 Just now a cole tit called me to the window (it 

 has more voice now) and when I appeared with 

 food, it was followed by a flock of little ones of 

 two ages, I think. One lovely little thing, evi- 

 dently just out of the nest, sat a long time on 

 the verandah, and was fed there. Its colours are 

 lighter and brighter than those of the older birds. 

 The white patch on the head and that on the 

 cheek are bright and large ; the black very deep 

 and glossy, but only above the eyes, while that 

 under the chin is scarcely perceptible : the back is 

 a lovely grey green, and the bars on the wings well 



