THE MARSH TITMOUSE. 105 



husk at the same time, flew off direct to the snow- 

 berry bush. The whole thing was now explained, 

 and as I watched, another Titmouse joined the first, 

 and these continued as long as I had time to wait, 

 carrying off the berries on the ends of their bills to 

 the same tree opposite, where they opened and 

 dropped the husks, then back again for more. On 

 picking up these husks afterwards, I found each of 

 them split open down the side and minus the two 

 little kidney-shaped seeds that grow in either half 

 of the white fruit." 1 



No one who has attentively observed the actions 

 of the different species of Titmouse can have failed 

 to remark how varied are their attitudes, how rapid, 

 yet sure, is their mode of progression. They are 

 essentially formed for climbing, their strong feet and 

 curved claws enabling them to take a firm hold in 

 any position and on almost any surface. A character- 

 istic attitude is that of hanging head downwards, as 

 depicted in the accompanying vignette, and it may 

 be readily conceived how small a chance of escape 

 there is for any lurking insect when sought for by 

 an active little bird like this, to whom no crack or 

 crevice is inaccessible. 



1 The Birds of Norfolk, vol. i. p. 147. 



