GREAT-TIT, BLUE-TIT, COAL-TIT, MARSH-TIT I'.H 



marsh, and sometimes longtailed-titft, all actively engaged in pursuit 

 of food or fun; making the "bare ruin'd quires" echo and re-echo 

 ith their sharp metallic call-notes. 



It is perhaps during * ne wu> t cr months that these birds may be 

 watched with comparative ease, and their confusing call-notes learned. 

 |-X|>rriall\ ix tin* tin- raM- on llio^. ran- |-VI>ruar\ da\s. Mimi\ ami 

 windless, which are sometimes sandwiched between dead-cold 

 January and blustering March ; days when it seems as if we could 

 place a finder on Nature's pulse, and feel the stirrings of new life. 



Although many of the tits can be attracted to town-gardens by 

 means of suet, cocoa-nuts, or other dainties, provided these are 

 placed in a suitable spot inaccessible to the marauding cat, yet after 

 all it it amidst their own natural surroundings wild things show to 

 tin- lirst ad\aiita'_'<'. Tlirivt'orr if tin- man d. ^innix <>! 'acquiring bird- 

 lon- \\ill onl\ wrap liiniM-lf up \\armly. find thr MIMMV xjdr of a hed^c 

 and MY/I'/, he is sure to see much that will repay him ; for a deeper 

 insight into wild life is gained by patient watching, than can possibly 

 result from a sharp cross-country walk. Every movement of the 

 human animal is fraught with suspicion to the scores of bright eyes 

 intent upon his progress. If he will but remain motionless, the 

 owners of those bright eyes soon regain confidence and continue their 

 various avocations. A rustling in the undergrowth may betray the 

 presence of a tiny, long-tailed fieldmouse by and by he will sit on 

 the toe of the intruder's boot and wash himself. An impudent 

 squirrel most probably will pelt the trespasser with fir-cone debris. As 

 for birds, their self-consciousness soon vanishes. The great-tit is 

 sure to be near shouting " teacher, teacher, tea-c/ier, teach " ; the blue-tit, 

 with a sharp " zet-zee-aee? will seize an acorn from beneath the watcher's 

 feet, carry this to some chosen spot and proceed to hack pieces out of 

 it with his strong bill The coal-tit ' easily distinguished from the 

 marsh by the white patch at the back of his head will be diligently 



1 The British and the Irish coal tito hare recently been (separated sub specifically. See the 

 Note*. 



