276 THE OXEYE, OR GREATER TIT. 



fine myself to two or three of the surest methods, specifying tbe best for 

 taking those birds that are for the house. 



In autumn and spring, the bird-catcher should go into an orchard, or 

 any other place much frequented by oxeyes, carrying one -w-ith him as a 

 decoy; this must be placed on the ground in a small square cage, and some 

 sticks, with lime-twigs fastened to them, fixed obliquely around it. The 

 tits, attracted by curiosity, or the desire of approaching one of their own 

 species that calls them, quickly descend, and are caught in the lime-twigs. 

 A whistle made of the bone of a goose's leg succeeds still better; with this 

 instrument all the tits in the neighbourhood are quickly assembled ; for 

 the tone being stronger than the natural call, it is heard farther ; if there 

 are but few of these birds near, they are sure to be all caught. 



They are easily attracted, in winter, to a trap, by the kernels of nuts, 

 lard, and oats. This trap should be placed in a garden, with a little oat 

 straw fastened under in such a way that it may be seen at a distance, as the 

 tits are instantly attracted thereby. It is a small box a foot in length, and 

 eighteen inches in height and width, the sides of which, when not made of 

 small boards painted green, are formed of small elder sticks, tied or screwed 

 to the four comer sticks ; in this case only two small boards are required, 

 one for the bottom, the other for the cover, which must be fastened on 

 with packthread, and turn as with hinges; from the middle of the bottom 

 rises a peg supporting a cross stick, with a nut kernel at one end, and a 

 little lard at the other; this cross stick supports a small perpendicular one, 

 which keeps the cover open three or four inches. When a tit hops on the 

 cross stick and begins pecking the nut or lard, the cover falls, and the bird 

 is caught. 



The oxeye, like the other tits, assembles in numbers at the water-trap, 

 commonly from seven to nine in the morning, and from four to five in the 

 evening, ' 



In autumn these birds are taken in nooses and common bird-traps, baited 

 with berries, but the snare must be of horse hair, for if of thread, the bird, 

 as soon as it feels itself caught, will try to bite through it, as mice do. 



Attractive Qualities. — The sprightliness and activity of these birds 

 are very pleasing, but their gay and lively song still more so : in it are 

 agreeably mingled the call '■'•fick,fic1t,'''' and the shrill " tzizerr" Nothing, 

 in my opinion, is more pleasing than to hear repeated fifteen or twenty 

 times following these striking notes, " sitzida^ sitzida, stiti, stiti."' One 

 may judge of the capability of young ones to imitate the song of other 

 birds, from the facility with which the full-grown birds learn detached 

 parts, and particularly different calls. 



Some people amuse themselves by making these birds perform many 

 little manoeuvres, such as drawing up their food with a chain, turning a 

 cylinder* which has the appearance of being moved by two miners, and 

 hopping after a nut suspended to a thread. 



* This cylinder oftens occasions their death. It is only by great address and 

 quickness that they can pass through the hole of communication ; each time they 

 run the risk of being crushed, especially on coming out, from the prolonged motion 

 of the machine. — Translator. 



