THE TITMOUSE. 211 



for it in France the name of Le Serrurier. It is one 

 of our earliest builders in spring, placing its nest 

 in some hole where wind and rain cannot reach it, 

 yet making it nicely of moss, and lining it with 

 hair and feathers. The nest contains from six 

 to nine eggs, with a white ground, speckled and 

 spotted with red. The usual food of the bird 

 consists of insects, and one may be amused by 

 watching the address w^ith which the titmice gene- 

 rally will clear the trees of this tribe. They 

 may be seen peering into the crevices of the 

 boughs, going on from one to another, and sus- 

 pending themselves in all manner of attitudes, 

 till suddenly they espy some traces of insects. 

 They will then seize with the greatest vigour the 

 buds where these lie concealed, and tear them 

 quickly to pieces. Yet let not the owner of the 

 tree blame the birds. Those buds would never 

 have come forth into healthy shoots, for a worm 

 lying at the core had destroyed their vitality, 

 and was still there ready for further mischief. 

 The titmice, it is true, will eat the ripe pear, 

 and make a meal of the ruddy apple, which so 

 few small birds relish ; but the immense num- 

 ber of caterpillars, small worms, and eggs of 



