AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 141 



the early part of July, a somewhat late period of the 

 year for these little birds to be employed in plaster- 

 work, as I am not aware that the Nuthatch rears 

 more than one brood. 



58. GREAT TITMOUSE. 



Parus major. 



This is another very common bird in Northampton- 

 shire, where it is often called " Blackcap " or " Saw- 

 bird," the latter name of course being derived from 

 its well-known notes, some of which bear a certain 

 resemblance to the noise made in sharpening a saw. 

 In common with all the members of this family the 

 Great Titmouse is a restless noisy bird, always on the 

 quest for food, very pugnacious, and in captivity even 

 ferocious, often attacking any feathered companion 

 in confinement, and in some instances of victory 

 having been known to pick out and devour the 

 brains of the vanquished. The nest of this bird is 

 generally placed in a hole of a tree or wall, and is 

 composed of a mass of moss with a lining of hair ; 

 the eggs are white, thinly spotted with light rust- 

 colour, and average from six to eight or nine in 

 number. I think that this bird frequently rears a 

 second brood, as it certainly commences nesting- 

 operations early in April, and I have noticed young 

 birds just able to fly more than once in the months 

 of July and August. The Great Titmouse is common 

 in almost all parts of Europe with which I have 

 any acquaintance, less so in the neighbourhood of 

 Algiers, where I found it but seldom, always in pairs, 

 frequenting the patches of stone-pine wood in the 

 gardens of the suburbs. 



