206 



THE BLUE TITMOUSE GREAT TITMOUSE. 



THE BLUE TITMOUSE. 



The bill is short and dusky. The crown of the head is of a fine 

 blue color. From the bill to the eyes there is a black line. The fore- 

 head and cheeks are 

 white. The back is 

 of a yellowish green ; 

 and the lower Hide 

 of the body yellow. 

 The wings and tail 

 are bine, the former 

 marked transversely 

 with a white bar. 

 The legs arc lead- 

 colored. 



This busy little 

 bird is frequently 

 seen in our gardens 

 and orchards, where 

 its operations are 

 much dreaded by the 

 over-anxious gardener, who fears, lest, in pursuit of its favorite food, 

 which is often lodged in the fender buds, it may destroy them also, to 

 the injury of his future harvest: not considering that the Titmouse is 

 the means of destroying a much more dangerous enemy (the caterpillar). 



ELPE TITMOUSE. 



THE GREAT TITMOUSE. 



The Great Titmouse is common in this country, frequenting gardens, 



orchards, copses, 

 etc. During the 

 spring it is very 

 active in the cap- 

 ture of insects, but 

 in autumn and 

 winter it is forced 

 to content itself 

 with grains and 

 seeds of various 

 descriptions. 

 Gilbert White, in 

 his "Selbornc," 

 mentions that he 

 has seen the Great 

 Tit "while it hung 

 with its back 

 down wards, to my 

 no small delight 

 and admiration, 

 draw straws 

 lengthwise from 



THE GREAT TITMOUSE. \_\\Q C a V C S O f 



