206 BLUE TIT. 



search, lest he should rouse the vengeance of some lurking 

 snake or adder.' 



The nest, which is composed of grass and moss, and lined 

 with hair, wool, and feathers, and is built in March or 

 April, is usually placed in a hole of a tree, about half a 

 dozen or a dozen feet from the ground, or even close to it. 

 Frequently a hole in a wall is made use of, sometimes the 

 top of a pump, though the bird may be continually disturbed, 

 or the nest , even in the first instance destroyed by the 

 action of the handle, the entrance being the cleft for the 

 handle to work in. 



Speaking of one instance of this kind, Bishop Stanley 

 says, 'It happened that during the time of building, and 

 laying the eggs, the pump had not been in use; and when 

 again set going, the female was sitting; and it was naturally 

 supposed that the motion of the pump handle would drive 

 her away. The young brood however were hatched safely, 

 without any other misfortune than the loss of a part of the 

 tail of the sitting bird, which was rubbed off by the friction 

 of the pump handle.' And again, 'We knew of another pair 

 of Titmice, which, for several days persevered in inserting, 

 close upon the point of the handle, the materials for a nest; 

 though every time the handle was raised, they were either 

 crushed or forced out, till the patience of the persevering 

 little builders was fairly exhausted.' The most extraordinary 

 situation, however, that I have heard or read of for the 

 location of the nest of this, or of any other species of bird, 

 was within the jaws of the skeleton of a man, who had 

 been executed and hung in chains for murder. It would 

 almost seem a realization of the fable of our childhood, 

 respecting a somewhat similar locality therein assigned to 

 the nests of Swallows. 



Mr. Hewitson records the following, communicated to him 

 by Mr. Heysham, of Carlisle: 'A few years ago, when upon 

 an entomological excursion, wishing to examine the decayed 

 stump of a tree, which was broken to pieces for that pur- 

 pose, and the fragments dispersed to a considerable distance 

 by a severe blow, a Blue Titmouse was found sitting upon 

 fourteen eggs, in a small cavity of the root; and, notwith- 

 standing the above severe shock, she remained immovable, 

 till forcibly taken off the nest: sometimes, even if taken off, 

 she will return.' Again, 'An earthen bottle was placed on 

 the garden wall of Mrs. Chorley, of Bolton, near Lancaster; 



