166 WINTER FOOD OF BIRDS. 



all the incumbrances of feathers and tails, four- 

 teen young ones, in such a situation, surpass in 

 diligence and ingenuity the efforts of any other 

 birds, persevering as they are, that I am acquainted 

 with. 



We might naturally suppose that, by the end of 

 winter, all those little birds which are solely sup- 

 ported by insect food would find some difficulty in 

 providing for their wants, having consumed by 

 their numbers and exertions nearly all that store 

 of provision which had been provided in the sum- 

 mer and deposited in safety; but I have found 

 the stomachs of the tree-creeper, and this small 

 titmouse, even in February, quite filled with parts 

 of coleopterous creatures, which by their activity 

 and perseverance they had been enabled to procure 

 beneath the mosses on the branches, and from the 

 chinks in the bark of trees, where they had retired 

 in autumn. Such plenty being procurable after 

 the supply of so many months, renders it appa- 

 rent that there is no actual deficiency of food at 

 any one period of the year. The small slugs, and 

 some few insects, may perhaps be consumed by the 

 severity of winter ; but the larger portion of them 

 are so constituted as to derive no injury from the 

 inclemency of that season, but afford during many 

 months provender to other creatures, multitudes 

 yet remaining to continue their races and animate 

 the air, when the warm days of spring shall waken 

 them to active life. 



The construction and selected situations of the 



