TIIK BKAKI>i:i>-TIT 



another, or hurled themselves towards the earth and rose again in 

 an ecstasy of love and iiiadix^. snipr bleated dreamily, iind prarr 

 reigned. Suddenly the hitherto brilliant sun became over-clouded, 

 the wind arose, and a\\;i\ over the Broad came the sound of lashing 

 hail upon the open water. In two minutes I was back in my house- 

 boat behind closed doors, while less than twenty minutes later my 

 man was shovelling away ice from the stern-sheets before the doors 

 could be again opened. I cannot tell what became of the tits. It 

 seems to me that >udi sudden changes of temperature, together 

 with the tremendous down|>our of rain or hail, must surely destroy 

 numbers of half-grown birds ; at any rate, I did not again see so many 

 bearded-tits in that one spot. While yet in the nest they are so well 

 hidden amongst dense undergrowth that they do not suffer much 

 from exposure. But sudden storms shatter birds' nerves, and inex- 

 perienced young cannot always be quickly rounded into a place of 

 safety by half-distracted and anxious parents. 



As soon as possible after leaving the nest, the young are taken to 

 the denser reed-beds, and cannot then be easily watched. Now and 

 again one may catch sight of a nearly full-grown bird clinging more 

 or less clumsily to the swaying stems waiting to be fed. But as soon 

 at they can fly they roam about in little family parties, flitting from 

 place to place, sometimes keeping with the male bird, until the cares 

 of a second helpless family once more engross his attention. Even 

 then, I have seen a much harassed cock deprived of his mate per- 

 sistently followed day after day by his grown-up family ; but he had 

 no time to attend to their wants, and, in fact, seemed completely to 

 ignore them, neither resenting their constancy nor taking any steps 

 to rid himself of their company. 



After the breeding season, these family parties collect together 

 and roam from broad to broad. As winter approaches, they may be 

 seen in flocks of from twenty to forty ; but like the crested-tit, these 

 flocks do not wander outside their breeding area, though a few 

 stragglers may occasionally do so. At all seasons of the year they 



