TAPPING TIT 115 



his face close to hers, and glared at her as if he 

 was going to peck at her eyes. I saw them 

 become fixed and glassy ; she seemed horrified 

 paralysed ; she evidently felt that it was all over 

 with her, and could not move. I came immedi- 

 ately to the rescue, and the robin flew away. But 

 she did not. She could not move for some time, 

 and since then she has avoided Bob. Her fear of 

 him shows itself in another way too. Not having 

 much voice to call me with, as her mate does, she 

 hit some time ago upon an ingenious plan of her 

 own for doing so by means of a rather prolonged 

 series of little taps with her beak upon the wood- 

 work of the sash. She cannot reach the glass, but 

 when she has tapped, she rises on her toes, as it 

 were, and looks in to see if I am coming, or flutters 

 against the glass. This she has done for some 

 time now, and has found it very effective; but 

 since the fear of the young robin has fallen upon 

 her she has almost abstained from tapping lest the 

 sound should bring him up. Two little taps are 

 as much as she ventures on generally now ; and 

 they are quite enough if I am there. She is a very 

 wise little bird ; there is no doubt of it. 



One -very curious observation I have made 

 whilst watching the pair of tits ; a very sugges- 

 tive one on the interesting subject of origins. The 

 two seem very much attached ; they generally 



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