BLUE TITMOUSE 71 



close upon the point of the handle, the materials for a 

 nest ; though every time the handle was raised, they were 

 either crushed or forced out, till the patience of the perse- 

 vering little builders was fairly exhausted." 



The most extraordinary situation, however, that I have 

 heard or read of for the location of the nest of this, or of 

 any other, species of bird, was within the jaws of the skeleton 

 of a man, who had been executed and hung in chains for 

 murder. 



Mr. Hewitson records the following, communicated to 

 him by Mr. Heysham, of Carlisle: "A few years ago, 

 when upon an entomological excursion, wishing to examine 

 the decayed stump of a tree, which was broken to pieces 

 for that purpose, and the fragments dispersed to a consider- 

 able distance by a severe blow, a Blue Titmouse was found 

 sitting upon fourteen eggs, in a small cavity of the root ; 

 and notwithstanding the above severe shock, she remained 

 immovable, till forcibly taken off the nest ; sometimes, even 

 if taken off, she will return." Again: "An earthen bottle 

 was placed on the garden wall of Mrs. Chorley, of Bolton, 

 near Lancaster ; in this a pair of Blue Titmice built their 

 nest, hatched their eggs, and reared their young. There 

 was no cork in the bottle, and the birds had no other way 

 of entrance than through the mouth, going up and down 

 the neck of the bottle every time they carried food to their 

 young ones, all of which, ten in number, were reared without 

 accident, and made their escape unmolested through the 

 neck of the bottle. When they were fairly gone, the bottle 

 was taken down, and the old nest found within. The bottle 

 was fifteen inches deep, and the neck one inch in diameter. 

 I am at a loss to know how the birds could manage to 

 ascend." 



