198 THE TITS 



amicably, one at each end of a cocoa-nut. If such be the case it may 

 safely be inferred that courting has begun, or at any rate that they 

 are " keeping company," as the country-folk say. About this season 

 of the year, too, the brilliant colours of these birds begin to assert 

 themselves. Hitherto their splendid suits of green, black and 

 yellow, blue or russet, have looked dull and uniformly greyish, 

 because partially concealed by long fringes which edge the new 

 feathers donned after the autumn moult. These form a sort of 

 overall during the winter, but gradually wear away as spring 

 approaches, and thus reveal the glories of their wedding-garments at 

 the right time. 



I have seen the coal-tit " showing off" to the female as early as 

 January 16, but as a rule this performance does not take place till 

 considerably later. Amongst all the Tits it consists in a ridiculous 

 strutting to and fro along a branch, with wings drooped and tail stiffly 

 erect, the feathers of crown, cheeks, and throat, puffed out, according to 

 the capacity of each species. The handsome and swaggering great-tit 

 makes a fine display of his glossy black waistcoat and yellow vest, and 

 swells considerably, puffed out with pride and vainglory. The blue-tit 

 makes much of his blue cap, and the marsh of his black crown ; the 

 crested-tit does the same with his dainty plume. Each species has 

 " points " peculiar to itself and makes the most of them. The blue-tit 

 has in addition a nuptial flight noted by Mr. H. E. Howard as being 

 similar to that of the chiff-chaff, which he describes as follows :- 

 " Another time he will float towards her through the air like a very 

 big moth, with his wings outstretched and slowly flapping. This is one 

 of the prettiest aspects of the courtship, especially when, instead of 

 floating straight towards her, he approaches in semicircles : the 

 great beauty of it lies in the way in which he beats the air with his 

 wings ; this he does so very slowly as to give one the impression that 

 he ought not to be moving at all." l Perhaps the other species have 

 similar displays. 



1 British Warblers, Part 2, p. 14. 



