78 WILD LIFE AT HOME. 



procuring a spade, dug a handful of worms from 

 my own garden, and whilst the industrious bird 

 was away at her nest, flung them over on to 

 that part of the lawn she was working. When she 

 came back she seemed a bit staggered. Such an 

 array of luscious food where but a moment ago she 

 had left absolutely nothing! The thing seemed 

 above her comprehension. However, she soon fell 

 to, and "jointing " two large worms flew off at once 

 to her chicks with them and returned directly for 

 another supply, 



After this had gone on briskly for a while, the 

 bird, for the satisfying of her own hunger, levied 

 toll on the supply of worms I procured for her 

 offspring. 



The feeding habits of this species differ very 

 widely from those of the blackbird. It is extremely 

 interesting to watch birds searching for food ; I 

 often do it by the hour together. A blackbird 

 hops about listening as well as looking for worms, 

 but a starling rushes round just as if dear life and 

 the welfare of the whole universe depended upon 

 her individual energies. According to iny timed 

 observation, the latter feed their young ones twice 

 as often as the former. 



The different members of the tit family are, by 

 reason of their boldness, easy and extremely in- 

 teresting objects of study, and despite their quick 

 movements, may be photographed in a good light 

 with rapid plates and swift up-to-date apparatus. 



