388 PARID^E. 



mon. It frequents small woods, orchards, and gardens ; 

 and is said to do injury to fruit trees when searching for 

 food, by destroying the fruit buds as well as the insects. 

 Several experienced observers, however, believe that this 

 bird does more good than harm. Mr. Selby says, " I am 

 convinced that the trifling injury occasionally committed 

 by the abrasion of a few flower buds is more than com- 

 pensated by the destruction of innumerable larvae and 

 eggs of the insect tribe, which are usually deposited in or 

 about those essential parts of fructification ; and which, 

 if allowed to proceed through the necessary changes, would 

 effectually check all hope of produce." Other evidence 

 will be adduced. 



The Blue Tit builds in a hole in a wall or a tree ; the nest 

 is made up of a profusion of moss, hair, and feathers ; the 

 eggs are variable in number, sometimes very numerous. 

 Montagu mentions six or seven ; Pennant names from 

 twelve to fourteen ; Mr. Heysham has also found fourteen 

 eggs in a nest ; and Mr. Hewitson has recorded one instance 

 in which the nest contained eighteen eggs. From eight to 

 ten eggs, however, is the more common number ; they are 

 white, spotted with pale red, measuring seven lines and a 

 half in length, and six lines in diameter. 



When the Blue Tit has taken possession of a hole in a 

 wall, or in a decayed tree, she is not easily induced to quit 

 it, but defends her nest and eggs with great courage and 

 perseverance, puffing out her feathers, hissing like an 

 angry kitten, and goes by the name of Billy Biter among 

 the bird-nesting boys of several counties, from a vivid recol- 

 lection of certain impressions made on their fingers. A 

 female that had taken possession of a small wooden box 

 hung up against an outbuilding, into which she had carried 

 abundance of materials for her nest, and in the midst of 

 which she was then sitting upon her numerous eggs, allowed 



