208 THE GREAT TITMOUSE 



understood labours in ridding the blossoms of our fruit 

 trees of their infesting insect pests. Tits are, in fact, 

 most energetic and active insect destroyers. 



The Great Tit. is a lively bird about the size of a Spar- 

 row. The crown, neck, and throat black; cheeks white. 

 A black stripe runs from the throat over the breast and 

 under parts. The mantle is bright green ; rump, tail, 

 and wings plum colour, with oblique whitish stripes on 

 the wings. The under side of the body is a beautiful 

 bright yellow on either side of the black stripe. The 

 short, strong beak is shaped like a grain of wheat and 

 brown in colour; the strong legs are bluish. It builds 

 its nest delicately, and usually in such hollow places as 

 have a narrow opening, sometimes even in empty bee- 

 hives. Tt lays six to nine sometimes, though rarely, as 

 many as fifteen eggs, which are finely formed, of a pure 

 white, with speckles of a beautiful rust colour. 



