THE BLUE TITMOUSE 157 



and caterpillars that feed on Britain's predominating monarch of 

 trees the oak. What a boon to the forester, and to the farmer 

 no harm unless growing sunflower seed for poultry feeding ; then it 

 takes to the ripening fruit of this plant before everything else. In 

 the orchard and fruit plantation it is very assiduous in its attentions 

 to apple, pear, cherry, and plum trees, even the gooseberry, currant, 

 raspberry and blackberry, scrutinising them for pests, most of 

 which are also common on wildlings of the same species of plants 

 before named, even taking the moths from the grease bands on the 

 trees, and making end of codlin moth larvae or pupae. 



On the other hand, it is said to do serious damage to cherries, 

 which we have not observed during fifty years' experience ; but it 

 has a decided appetite for green peas, particularly when a brood is 

 near by, and the weather hot and dry, while it sometimes does 

 serious damage by pecking the sweeter and choice apples and pears 

 near the stalks. It also clears ripening sunflower heads of the 

 seeds, and, not least, sometimes eats bees in winter-time, also pul- 

 ling straws out of thatch in order to get insects or grain. 



In order to protect apples and pears fruit-growers should grow 

 sunflowers in their plantations, and to ripen the seed in advance 

 of fruit, thus alluring the blue and also the great titmouse from 

 it. This has been known since the time of Gilbert White, the tits' 

 liking of sunflower seed being mentioned in the Natural History 

 of Selborne, first published in 1789. This also applies as regards 

 green peas, it being extremely difficult to net the blue titmouse 

 out, and as for killing it means the destruction of a large brood of 

 young birds ; besides, the onslaught on peas is confined to this 

 necessity so far as we have observed. To protect choice apples 

 and pears recourse may be had to the Cloister Fruit Protector, 

 which clasps the individual fruit by the stalk and protects it from 

 the birds and other pests. The " protector " is sold by Messrs. 

 Wm. Wood & Son, Wood Green, London. 



If the blue titmouse becomes too numerous shooting may be 

 necessary, always so as not to damage the fruit or other trees. In 

 winter-time a few small bird-traps with the tables baited with a bit 

 of fat meat each and placed on branches of trees, or the ground 

 where they frequent for scraps from houses in severe weather, prove 

 effective. Even the old-fashioned brick-trap, well known to all 

 boys, properly baited, catches this and other small birds either alive 

 or kills them at once. It (Fig. 98) is formed of four bricks, three 

 on edge, two forming the sides (m) and one the end (ri) and one stood 

 on end to form the fall (o). A peg, about \ in. diameter and 

 3 in. long, is driven into the ground at the middle of the enclosure 

 so as to stand an inch or so out of the soil (p), a forked stick chisel 

 shaped at the thick end (q), and a stick for propping up the fall (r). 

 For the blue titmouse the forked piece or table should be baited 

 with a bit of fat meat, and for sparrows, starlings, etc., with bread- 



