62 BIRDS, BEASTS, AND FISHES 



with the " pick-cheeses " and redpolls, flying about following 

 one another round the tall bare tops from tree to tree, like 

 a flock of giant moths, and even at a long distance you 

 should know them by that paddling flight of theirs, for they 

 seem to lie on the air with their tail and body, and paddle 

 with their wings. You may distinguish them as well by 

 their long tails. But, like the giant moth, 'tis a bird not too 

 commonly seen, nor are its simple habits too freely divulged ; 

 for during the nesting season they are very shy and skulk- 

 ing, and one may be surprised by suddenly finding a young 

 family flocking about a familiar corner of the garden where 

 no nest was suspected, or even old birds seen. And yet 

 you might think they would be more numerous, for sixteen 

 is a common number of eggs ; but I have seldom seen more 

 than five or six young birds together when the cradle is 

 left ; perhaps they perish from overcrowding in that bottle- 

 like nest. And the fenmen speak of two kinds, the blue 

 and pink long-tailed titimouse, describing the blue as the 

 bigger bird. 



