GREAT-TIT, BLUE-TIT, COAL-TIT, MARSH-TIT 183 



than five or six. As no other bird seemed to find out this favourite 

 food-tree, the marsh-tit managed to eke out his "dessert" for nearly 

 three weeks. 



Great and blue-tits delight in acorns and commence to attack 

 them in September. These they seldom devour in xitu, but carry them 

 in their claws to some quiet corner and proceed to chip out fairly 

 hir-r lit> ;ii ;i tiinr. Latrr on. \\lim acorn^ Infill to ^vrmiiiatr. tliry 

 are more easily split along the cleavage line, and even hazel-nuts 

 are opened by the great-tit in the same way when they begin to 

 sprout 1 



The amount of food Tits can consume in a day is astounding. 

 In my small garden I reckon to provide for about six pairs at 

 least as regular pensioners during the winter. Each of these birds 

 feeds rapidly through all the hours of daylight : but, when we con- 

 sider the high average of temperature birds have to maintain, this 

 persistent stoking is not to be wondered at. 



One autumn an early and unexpected spell of frost made me 

 think it time to put out food for my pensioners, but I forgot to do so. 

 About the fourth frosty morning, while the family was at prayers, three 

 blue-tits hung on to the lead lights of the window and vigorously 

 tapped at the glass, occasionally stopping to peer into the room ; loudly 

 protesting meanwhile against that travesty of religion which, being 

 well-fed itself, forgets the less fortunate. There was no mistaking the 

 birds' meaning, as they flew to and fro between my window and their 

 food-table. I soon divided a cocoa-nut and suspended the halves, 

 while the tits watched and scolded ; but no sooner were these prepara- 

 tions for their meal complete, than they changed their note to one 

 less querulous and began feeding with alacrity surely a curious 

 instance of memory and also of confidence in man. There may be 

 some who will say the birds were "pauperised" and "degenerate." 

 But I prefer to consider them not as paupers, but rather " labourers 

 worthy of their hire," and coming well under the Employers' Liability 



1 Kearton, Wild Nature't Wayt, pp. 288-0. 



