162 BIRD NOTES 



years at least since one has been here feeding. 

 Then a pair were constantly here, and brought 

 their young. Can this be one of them ? I wonder. 



Alienist 27, 1889. 



I am writing with the window open, and an 

 opera-glass at hand, for there is such a piping 

 squeaking, rather in the cedar opposite ! Golden- 

 crests or very young tits ; I should say the first, 

 only Thomasina came just now and clung to the 

 side of the window and asked for food (for her 

 young, I should think), which I gave her. She 

 seems very good friends with a handsome cole tit, 

 who also comes here now. They are almost my only 

 visitors at present ; dogs and cats have abounded 

 so of late that the old robin keeps watch in the 

 sycamore and will not let the young ones come. 

 She dashes at them and drives them away. 



I fancy the young males of the first brood are 

 learning to sing just now. At all events, there 

 are very queer snatches or phrases of song or 

 conversation to be heard. Very short and sketchy 

 they are. The young birds arc golden-crests ! I 

 caught sight of one in my glass just now a fine 

 little kinglet ; but they do flicker out so quickly ! 



December 11, 1889. 



I had a curious visitor on Sunday. 1 was 

 feeding my torn-tits in the afternoon at the drawing- 



