268 Country Rambles. 



THE GREAT TITMOUSE (Parus major), i., 36. 



Common, haunting woods and gardens, and busy 

 most of its time in looking for insects and spiders. 

 Imitating other birds, and making all sorts of queer 

 noises, the reward it often gets is to be shot for its 

 pains, the wonder being what droll creature can it 

 be. 



THE BLUE TITMOUSE (Parus cosruleus), i., 39. 



Very beautiful in plumage, usually a sweet light blue 

 or dark blue and yellow, common in woods and 

 gardens, and building its nest in holes of trees, in 

 letter-boxes, old pumps, and anything else that has a 

 cavity in it and it takes a fancy to. In late autumn 

 and winter there is no prettier sight than to watch 

 one of these elegant little creatures pecking away at 

 one of the two or three apples that a kind-hearted 

 man always leaves for it. 



THE COLE TITMOUSE (Parus ater), i., 37. 



Common, but chiefly found in winter, usually going 



northwards to breed. 



THE MARSH TITMOUSE. (Parus palustr is) > i., 40. 

 Similar to the last both in habits and note, but building 



more frequently. 



THE LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE (Parus caudatus), i., 41. 

 The nest, which is usually suspended from the ends of 

 branches in the thick of the hedge, is most beauti- 

 fully formed, and resembles a little bee-hive. It is 

 constructed of moss, lichens, and spiders' webs, 



