BLUE TITMOUSE 



BLUE-CAP BLUE TIT BLUE-BONNET NUN TOMTIT- 

 BLUE MOPE BILLY-BITER HICKW ALL. 



PLATE XXXIII. 

 Parus eceruleus, ...... LINNJEUS. 



THE nest, which is composed of grass and moss, and lined 

 with hair, wool, and feathers, and is built in March 

 or April, is usually placed in the hole of a tree, about half 

 a dozen or a dozen feet from the ground, or even close to 

 it. Frequently a hole in a wall is made use of, sometimes 

 the top of a pump, though the bird may be continually dis- 

 turbed, or the nest even in the first instance destroyed by 

 the action of the handle, the entrance being the cleft for 

 the handle to work in. 



Speaking of one instance of this kind, Bishop Stanley 

 says : " It happened that during the time of building and 

 laying the eggs, the pump had not been in use ; and when 

 again set going the female was sitting ; and it was naturally 

 supposed that the motion of the pump-handle would drive 

 her away. The young brood, however, were hatched safely, 

 without any other misfortune than the loss of a part of the 

 tail of the sitting bird, which was rubbed off by the friction 

 of the pump-handle." And again: "We knew of another pair 

 of Titmice, which for several days persevered in inserting, 



