mo 



THE NATURE BOOK 



When one has realised the significance 

 of the persistent attacks of these parasites 

 combined \\'ith those of the Tachina flies, 

 it becomes plain that the larvae of the 

 Magpie Moth, although protected by 

 their colours from many dangerous foes, 

 have yet even more fonnidable ones to 

 contend with on which their warning 

 colours exert no influence. So it hap- 



pens that a mighty host of leaf-eating 

 larvae may quickly become converted into 

 winged Ichneumon and Tachina flies in- 

 stead of moths ; then it may occur that 

 Ichneumon or Tachina flies are in excess, 

 and then their enemies in turn appear in 

 abundance. Thus the balance of power 

 in Nature ever needs and receives re- 

 adjustment. 



John J. Ward. 



THE COLE TIT 



By ALFRED BRAILSFORD 



With Photographs by the Author 



OF all our feathered neighbours who 

 make their homes in our woods 

 and gardens the family of Tit- 

 mice are, perhaps, the most fascinating. 

 With their knowing 

 looks and pretty col- 

 ouring, not to men- 

 tion the business-hke 

 way they have of 

 looking for their food, 

 they afford endless 

 pleasure. 



The smallest mem- 

 ber of this family, the 

 Cole Tit, feeds chiefly 

 on insects, but may 

 be coaxed into our 

 gardens in the winter 

 by means of a sus- 

 pended Brazil nut, 

 almond, cocoanut or 

 piece of fat. A bird 

 will come near, perch 

 on the suspending 

 string, hop to the top 

 and bottom rims of 

 a cocoanut — the end 



of which has been 



sawn off — twisting 



and turning himself upside down, right 



way up or sideways, and performing 



gymnastic exercises and balancing feats 



THE COLE TIT 



which any variety entertainer might be 



envious of. 



All the Tits may be attracted by these 



means in the winter, but as spring draws 

 near their visits be- 

 come less frequent, 

 and in the middle of 

 April they cease, when 

 the birds betake them- 

 selves to the woods 

 and orchards to rear 

 their hungry famihes. 

 The Cole Tit hkes 

 \'arious kinds of holes 

 for breeding ])urposes. 

 Small drain pipes, rat 

 or mouse holes in 

 banks, holes in trees 

 and stone walls, are 

 all used in turn, and 

 in these the pair of 

 birds build their nest 

 of dried grass and 

 moss, neatly lined with 

 a soft layer of feathers. 

 On this downy bed the 

 hen lays from si.x to 

 ten beautiful little 

 eggs speckled all over 



— more thickly at the larger end — with 



rusty red spots. 

 After about ten days from the laying 



