THE COAL TIT. 31 



that had succeeded the previous disturbance in its 

 interior. The pair of little captives had grasped each 

 other firmly round the throat with their strong black 

 feet, and were, indeed, all but strangled. 



At once I transferred them to a suitable cage, where 

 they promptly relaxed their hold of each other's necks 

 and began to dash wildly about, seeking for some outlet 

 by which to make good their escape. Finding none, 

 however, they presently settled down and began to feed 

 on some seeds of hemp which I had previously intro- 

 duced for their benefit. 



It was curious to watch their method of eating : seizing 

 one grain in their short strong black bill, they immediately 

 mounted to the topmost perch in the cage and placed, 

 each, its seed between its feet and began hammering at 

 it in the most business-like manner with its beak, soon 

 making a hole in the shell ; from this it quickly picked 

 the kernel which was swallowed at a gulp, and then each 

 bird flew down again for a fresh supply, when the rapid 

 hammering process was repeated with a like result. 



I could not help wondering that the birds never seemed 

 to miss their aim, seeing that the object against which 

 their rapid blows were directed was so small, and in 

 such close proximity to their toes, but they did not, 

 though their strokes were delivered with lightning-like 

 rapidity and the edible portion of the seed was promptly 

 in their possession. 



About a dozen grains of the hemp seemed to suffice 



