THE MERRY TITMICE 105 



beside the seeds of sunflowers, he will manage to break 

 his way into the seed-heads of poppies, picking out 

 every seed. 



Lively and spirited, he is not meek, like the long- 

 tailed tit ; and because of his sharp little temper is 

 sometimes called " billy biter," for the sitting bird 

 will hiss and peck if disturbed in her nest-hole. The 

 old name of " nun " suits the blue -tit's look better 

 than his character ; it was given because of the band of 

 white on the head, like a nun's head-dress. 



The cole-tit is to be known always by his black head, 

 white cheeks, and white patch at the back of the head 

 this white patch is the distinguishing mark. It is seen 

 on young tits so soon as their feathers appear, so there 

 can be no mistake . One of the prettiest wo odland sights in 

 winter is a party of foraging cole-tits ; they are espe- 

 cially fond of haunting woods of pine and fir. They love 

 beechmast, and feed more on the ground than others 

 of their kind. Never are they still for a moment ; 

 and they are quite at home in any position on any kind 

 of twig, no matter how slender always busy and 

 always happy, you would think. 



The greatest of all the tits in every way is the tit 

 called great ; well has he been named. He is the 

 largest in size, the best and gayest to look at, and he 

 utters the greatest notes, in the greatest variety. His 

 colours are brilliant : glossy black head and throat, 

 white cheeks, a broad line down the yellow body, the 

 back olive-green. The cock bird has a broader and 

 sharper line than the hen. 



Loud and clear through the spring woods rings out 

 the great-tit's call : two ringing notes repeated, 

 whetstone notes, they are called, as they are like the 

 pleasant sound of whetstone on scythe, or the sound 

 of a saw being sharpened with a file. A sprightly bird, 



