Titmice. 223 



of the jew on a branch, and thus breaking them 

 like a nuthatch." Titmice, blue-tits especially, 

 are very fond of meat, aad by no means object 

 to it if rather high ; they are generally found 

 about the horseflesh and other carrion hung up 

 near dog-kennels, and a bone, a lump of suet, or, 

 as Jardine suggested, the skeleton of a cooked 

 fowl, if hung up in a garden, will surely attract 

 the titmice, if any are in the neighbourhood ; and 

 to the bird-lover nothing is more delightful than 

 to watch the marvellous activity of these little 

 acrobats as they swing securely on the tempting 

 morsel without fear of disturbance by other birds, 

 as they alone can keep a foothold. 



Titmice, especially great-tits, are held in great 

 horror by many bee-keepers, who declare that they 

 are their greatest enemies, and accuse them of 

 tapping at the entrances to the hives, and snapping 

 up the bees as they come out to discover what is 

 amiss. Though, no doubt, they do occasionally 

 destroy a few bees, we cannot but think that the 

 mischief they do is much exaggerated, and are 

 pleased to say that in this opinion we are now 

 supported by many bee-masters. Titmice are 

 wonderfully noisy, garrulous little birds, especially 

 in the spring-time, when the notes of the cocks 

 rise to the dignity of what, in lieu of a better 

 expression, we must call a song, though they are 

 certainly not harmonious. The great-tit is, indeed, 

 called the " Saw-sharper " in some parts of the 

 country, the name being doubtless due to the fact 



