The Titmouse. 29 



or Bottle-tits, flits from bush to bush, never asso- 

 ciating with the others, and so justifying its 

 scientific separation from them. Another family 

 is to be seen in the Parks, where they build a 

 nest every year. These delightful little birds are 

 however quite willing to live in the very centre 

 of a town, indifferent to noise and dust. A 

 Marsh- tit was once seen performing its antics on 

 a lamp-post in St. Giles. A Great-tit built its 

 nest in the stump of an old laburnum, in the little 

 garden of Lincoln College, within a few yards of 

 the Turl and High Street ; the nest was dis- 

 covered by my dog, who was prowling about the 

 garden with a view to cats. I took great interest 

 in this brood, which was successfully reared, and 

 on one occasion I watched the parents bringing 

 food to their young for twenty minutes, during 

 which time they were fed fourteen times. The 

 ringing note of this Great-tit or his relations is 

 the first to be heard in that garden in winter-time, 

 and is always welcome. The little Blue-tit is 

 also forthcoming there at times. One Sunday 

 morning I saw a Blue-tit climbing the walls of 

 my College quadrangle, almost after the manner 



