BLUE TIT. 363 



mon. It frequents small woods, orchards, and gardens ; 

 and is said to do injury to fruit trees when searching for 

 food, by destroying the fruit buds as well as the insects. 

 Several experienced observers, however, believe that this bird 

 does more good than harm. Mr. Selby says, " I am con- 

 vinced that the trifling injury occasionally committed by the 

 abrasion of a few flower buds is more than compensated by 

 the destruction of innumerable larvae and eggs of the insect 

 tribe, which are usually deposited in or about those essen- 

 tial parts of fructification ; and which, if allowed to proceed 

 through the necessary changes, would effectually check 

 all hope of produce." Other evidence will be adduced. 



The Blue Tit builds in a hole in a wall or a tree ; the nest 

 is made up of a profusion of moss, hair, and feathers ; the 

 eggs are variable in number, sometimes very numerous. 

 Montagu mentions six or seven ; Pennant names from 

 twelve to fourteen ; Mr. Heysham has also found fourteen 

 eggs in a nest ; and Mr. Hewitson has recorded one instance 

 in which the nest contained eighteen eggs. From eight to 

 ten eggs, however, is the more common number ; they are 

 white, spotted with pale red, measuring seven lines and a 

 half in length, and six lines in diameter. 



When the Blue Tit has taken possession of a hole in a 

 wall, or in a decayed tree, she is not easily induced to quit 

 it, but defends her nest and eggs with great courage and 

 perseverance, puffing out her feathers, hissing like an angry 

 kitten, and goes by the name of Billy Biter among the 

 bird-nesting boys of several counties, from a vivid recollec- 

 tion of certain impressions made on their fingers. A female 

 that had taken possession of a small wooden box hung up 

 against an outbuilding, into which she had carried abund- 

 ance of materials for her nest, and in the midst of which 

 she was then sitting upon her numerous eggs, allowed 



