SOME GARDEN BIRDS 



the bark, where, having got it firmly fixed, he 

 proceeds to hammer it with his strong pointed 

 beak. Soon he has drilled a hole in the upper 

 end, and is picking out the kernel. Only one 

 or two other birds know how to do this, and 

 the habit is not shared by the rest of the tits, 

 so whenever you find a lot of nuts wedged into 

 crevices in the bark of a tree you may feel 

 fairly sure that it is the work of a great tit. A 

 species that has a similar habit is that curious 

 little tree-climbing bird the nuthatch, but it is 

 not nearly so plentiful as our friend the tit. 



The best way to get to know the tits well is to 

 hang up near your window a cocoanut, or a 

 bone with a bit of meat left on it, for either 

 is a great attraction, when you will soon have 

 them coming to the feast, and you will be able 

 to watch them at their acrobatic tricks, pecking 

 away while hanging upside down, swinging 

 happily to and fro while the wind sways the 

 cocoanut, and in fact showing off their accom- 

 plishments. What dainty birds they are, so 

 tidy and smart in their neat plumage, the blue 

 tit being perhaps the most charming, though 

 the coal and marsh tits are also very fascinating. 

 The great tit puts on quite a lot of * side ' ; he 

 walks about on the lawn as if the place belongs 



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