252 NATURAL HISTORY. 



schoolboy has been wasting his powder and shot in attempting 

 to hit larks arid such large game, he consoles himself by 

 shooting the unfortunate titmouse, who will allow him to 

 come so close that few vestiges of it remain except a tuft 

 of blue feathers. 



The eggs of the Blue Titmouse are from six to eight in 

 number, white, marked with reddish brown spots. Its length 

 is about four inches and a half. 



Caudatus (Lat. tailed), the Long-tailed Titmouse. 



The LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE is another well-known species 

 of this amusing family. Unlike the other Tits, it does not 

 frequent human habitations during the winter, but may be 

 seen in great numbers twisting and creeping about the branches 

 of hedge-rows and field trees. In the summer they are quito 

 as bold as their relations, and especially favour apple-trees, for 

 the sake of the diseased buds, which they pick off and devour, 

 thereby drawing upon themselves the vengeance of the gar- 

 dener, who prepares his gun, fires at the supposed depredators, 

 and possibly succeeds in killing them ; but he has also suc- 

 ceeded in doing more damage to the healthy buds by his spare 

 shot, than a score of tits would injure during the entire 

 season. 



