284 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Description. 



assistance of this, they mount where an indiffer- 

 ent spectator would think it impossible to ascend, 

 covering their heads at the same time to ward 

 off any danger of the falling of pebbles or stones 

 from above. At length, with extreme toil and 

 danger, having arrived at the nest, they draw it 

 up from the hole in which it is usually buried, 

 and cherish the young with an assiduity, equal 

 to the pains they took to obtain them. It pro- 

 duces for the most part five young, and never 

 more ; it seldom descends into the plain country ; 

 flies swifter than a blackbird, and uses the same 

 food." 



THE TITMOUSE. 



WHICH is also called the blue titmouse and 

 tomtit, is about four inches and a half in length, 

 and has a straight black bill about half an inch 

 long, pretty thick. The upper part of the head 

 and the chin are black, with a large spot of white 

 beginning at the base of the bill, and passing 

 under the eyes to the sides of the neck; with a 

 white line upon the under part of the head, which 

 separates the black of the head from the yellow- 

 colour of the neck ; which colour descends as 

 low as the shoulders and middle part of the back, 

 where it appears more shaded with a glossy 

 green; the rump is of a fine blue. The quill- 

 feathers have some of their lips white, some blue, 



