126 BIRD NOTES 



noisily, and I think it may be meant to remind me 

 that it is empty. How the little thing does it I 

 cannot think, unless it is by pecking hard at the 

 inside of the edge. It is a large blue-cap : they 

 differ much in size and colour, as well as in 

 character. 



The little hen cole tit has a deal of quiet wisdom 

 in her comparatively large head, and this seems to 

 serve her instead of strength in maintaining her 

 place among the larger birds. Apparently she has 

 economical propensities, for she carries away more 

 than any of the other birds ; it is more than she 

 can possibly eat, and she must needs store it 

 somewhere. The male bird never does that ; he 

 feeds and goes his way. 



January 1891. 



The hen cole tit mentioned in the last paragraph 

 still remains with me ; but I have come to the 

 conclusion that her propensity is acquisitive rather 

 than economical. She cannot be said to store 

 that which she takes away, for she carries each 

 little bit of bacon to a separate place, and, as far 

 as I can see, pays no further attention to it, and 

 probably forgets where she placed it. That she 

 cares for its safety at first is plain from the skip 

 and twist and sharp look-out that she gives to see 

 that no bird is in the way likely to snatch it from 

 her. 



