THE BLUE TIT. 103 



THE BLUE TIT. 



PARUS CCERULEUS. 



An Snoileuin. 



LIKE most of the tits, the "blue cap" is perhaps more conspicuous 

 during the winter months than at any other season. Travelling in 

 merry companies, this species may be seen scouring the leafless 

 trees, hanging at times from the outermost twigs in all sorts of 

 grotesque attitudes, and darting away one after another, as the last 

 of a row has been examined, to some other field of investigation. 

 The cry of the little fellow when so occupied is generally a lively 

 single note; but at other times when not so busy, especially in 

 spring, when these parties break up into smaller groups, the note 

 is suggestive of a light-heartedness which reminds one of opening 

 buds and that pleasant blush of green on the hedgerows which tells 

 of the coining summer. It has been likened to heef birr, as the bird 

 takes breath in the midst of an insect ramble, or chicka chicka 

 chee chee as he darts into a hedge after a short flight. In orchards 

 the blue cap often eats small apples which are left after the 

 gathering of the fruit, and which have become exposed when the 

 trees are bare of leaves; but in the dead of winter it will eat almost 

 anything it can tear with its bill. Beef bones laid outside a window 

 are very attractive, and it is amusing to see the successful way in 

 which so small a creature manages to pick off every morsel of flesh 

 adhering to them. 



On two different occasions I have seen nests of this species en- 

 tombed in trunks of trees that at one time had contained hollows 

 with an external opening, but had been closed by the growth of the 

 bark; one of these contained the remains of eggs, and was thought 

 to have been enclosed for about twenty years; the other had also eggs 

 in it, but contained, besides, the skeleton of their owner and all the 

 quill feathers sufficient for the perfect recognition of the species. 

 There were seven or eight inches of solid wood all round this nest, 

 which had probably been entombed for a period of fifty years. 



Strange places are sometimes selected by this little bird for nest 

 building. A friend lately told me of one that had constructed its 

 habitation in a letter box nailed behind a door by the roadside in 

 the country for the convenience of the passing postman. Being 

 made aware of the circumstance, the owner of the box had the 



