236 WILD BIRDS 



that is so wonderful a thing in some wrens' nests. 

 Nor does the chiff-chaff use such binding material 

 in her building as the wren ; the wonder is that, 

 with such unpromising loose stuff as dead leaves 

 and coarse, broad grasses, she can contrive a firm 

 nest at all. 



TITMOUSE INTELLIGENCE 



A friend thinks I underrate a titmouse's intelli- 

 gence in doubting much whether the long tailed 

 titmouse would turn to a tree because its first 

 nest in a low bush has been spoilt. He believes 

 that individual birds often have remarkable reason- 

 ing power, and gives an example : " My children 

 had hung a piece of suet by a string about fifteen 

 inches long from the branch of a fruit tree, and 

 a great titmouse, or ox eye, failed to get a sure foot- 

 hold on it, though blue and cole titmice had been 

 successful. He hopped from branch to branch, but 

 could not better his position. Then he flitted to 

 the branch the string was tied on, perched above it, 

 reached as far down as he could, and drew up the 

 string loop by loop, securing each haul under his feet 

 until he had lifted the suet to the branch. There 

 he enjoyed it." 



He adds that he saw this himself, and thinks I, 

 too, may have seen cases of the sort. But I never 

 have. I can only say the thing would amaze me.* 



* Since this was written others have told me of the 

 titmouse feat. I cannot doubt them, but the titmouse 

 perhaps has been trained in Nature to some like action, 

 as the redpoll is trained by man. 



