108 OUR IRISH SONG BIRDS. 



posts ; there the eggs, usually from five to eight, of a 

 pinkish-white colour, with brown spots, may be found, 

 and the owner ready to defend them at the risk of life 

 itself. Hissing, puffing, and fluttering, " Billy-biter" 

 will drive you from the nest if he can. Mr. Dixon says 

 that he has often started back in alarm, " fearful that, 

 instead of a nest and eggs, the wall contained some 

 poisonous reptile," and that " the bird, even if taken in 

 the hand, will attack you courageously with its beak." 



The Blue Tit is a most amusing creature; and by 

 suspending a little piece of fat meat from a tree, much 

 interest may be excited by watching his endeavours to 

 deal with it satisfactorily. 



COAL TIT. 



Parus Britannicus ; Mfcange noire ; Kohlmeise. 

 Tomtit ; Blackcap ; Colemouse ; Coal Tit. 



Bill, black ; legs and claws, lead-colour ; crown of the 

 head, throat, and front of the neck, black ; breast, 

 whitish ; cheeks and nape, white ; back, bluish-grey ; 

 wings, the same colour, with two white bands. Length, 

 about four inches and a half. 



This is by no means so common a bird as the Great 

 or the Blue Tit ; it is, however, to be met with in most 

 parts of Ireland. To me it seems to be cast in a gentler 

 mould than the other Titmice, the bird next to be 

 described alone excepted. The smaller size of this 

 bird, the want of the black stripe down the breast, with 

 the patch of white on the nape of the neck, should 



