TITS, OR TITMICE. 



THE GREAT TIT, 



(Parus major.'] 

 PLATE I. FIGURE I. 



RANKS first in point of size of the seven British species, which by 

 no means include all the Tits known. The whole length of this bird 

 is rather less than six inches ; this includes the tail, which is somewhat 

 short. The colours in the plumage are sufficiently diversified to pro- 

 duce a very striking effect. The top of the head, like the breast, 

 chin, and throat, is black; there is a broad patch of white on either 

 cheek, and a bar of white across the wings, the coverts of which are 

 mostly grey. The cheeks, breast, sides, and flanks are a dull yellow ; 

 the legs, toes, and claws lead-colour. 



The Ox-Eye Tit, as this bird is often called, may be found in most 

 of the wooded and cultivated districts of England and Scotland, being 

 most plentiful in the southern parts; it is a bold, pugnacious bird, 

 and will fight when occasion requires, desperately; it has been known 

 to spilt open the skull of another bird with its bill, and feast on the 

 brains, therefore it is best kept out of the aviary. On the Continent 

 it is found as far north as Sweden and Russia ; it is sometimes known 

 as the Blackcap, from the colour of its head, but this name belongs 

 of right to one of the sweetest of British Warblers. Now Master 

 Tom is not a sweet songster, although he has considerable power 

 and flexibility of voice; he chatters, and screams, rather than sings; 

 except in the pairing time, when he does his own wooing in a really 

 melodious manner, you might fancy when you heard him, that some- 

 body in the woods was filing a saw, or sharpening a scythe. He is 

 not a bad mimic, and when this grating noise ceases, the listener will 

 probably hear what seems to be the sharp finlt-fiiik of the Chaffinch, 

 the clear note of the Robin, or the doleful cry of the Yellow-hammer; 

 then again goes the chur, chur-r, chur-r-r, like the turning of a 

 grindstone, and you know that the bold Ox-Eye is but mocking you. 

 There he is, up among the boughs of yonder old oak, looking for 

 some decayed part into which he can thrust his bill, and extract 



