PARin.K— TUK TITMICE. gQ 



dreariest sttlitmlus of tlie Sotitliurn States tliese birds wcie liis constant and 

 anuising eonii)anions. TluMr hMriglitly niovenuMits and their varied musical 

 talents made it even i.iore pecnliarly interesting at a time when all the other 

 tenants of the forest were silent. The notes of this hird, which, when e.x- 

 jiressfd hy this writer on jtaper, .seem only quaint and eccentric articulatioii.s, 

 were characterized hy him as lively, cheering, and ■aried, delivered with a 

 delicacy, energy, pathos, and variety of e.xjiression to which it was fur beyond 

 the ]K)wer of descri|itiou t(i do justice. 



These notes, at times, even partook of the high-echoing and clear tonca 

 of the Oriole. The usual song of this Titmouse is presented !>'' Mr. Xuttall 

 Iiy the following characteristics: " jr/n))-/(iiii-ki/fi/-/>i//i/-(/ni/-(/-' , ''■U-fxhica- 

 dee-dir," varied with " Kin-/<r-tJi(l-d id-did," etc., etc. Lit'er i. ''o sea.son, 

 under tiie milder inthuMices of spring, these Titmice jjursued the insects from 

 branch to branch, calling restlessly and with loud and echoing voices, peio- 

 pilo-pcto, with fre(iiu!nt (juaint variations t(j(j mimerous to be repeated. 

 Their song even consi.sted of successions of playful, pathetic, or querulous 

 calls, never e.xhil)itiiig any trills after the manner of the Warblers, yet the 

 comjiass and tones of their voice, their capricious variety, and their general 

 effect are desciribtnl as quite as pleasing as the more exquisite notes of our 

 summer songsters. 



When wounded this Titmouse resists with great s])irit any attempt to take 

 him alive, but soon becomes tame and familiar in confinement, subsisting on 

 .seeds, broken nnts, etc. Imj)atient of restraint, it incessantly attempts to 

 work its way out of its cage. 



The general habits of these birds corresjiond clo.sely with those of the large 

 family to which they belong. They move usually in small flocks of from 

 live to ten through the branches of trees and bushes in quest of insects, 

 examine the cracks and crevices of the bark, hang on the under side of small 

 branches, move sideways around the tiunks of trees, probe the openings in 

 acorns, pine-cones, nuts, etc., for its food, and retain apparently the family- 

 group r ';il the s])ring, when they se])arate into pairs. 



One of these birds kept i,i confinement by Dr. Bachman of Charleston 

 was in the habit of hiding its food in the corner of its cage, in a small 

 crevice, and of creeping at night into a small box, where it lay doubled up 

 like a ball till the first light of the morning, when it resumed its restless 

 habits. 



The Tufted Titmouse passes its nights and days, when the weather is in- 

 clement, in the liollows of decayed trees or the deserted holes of tiie wood- 

 peckers. In such places it also builds its nests. It has been known to exca- 

 vate a hole for itself even in hard sound wood. Its nest is simply a rude 

 lining of the selected cavity, composed of various soft and warm materials. 

 In this are deposited from six to eight eggs. But a single brood is raised in 

 a sea.son. The young biids, as soon as they are fledged, hunt in company 

 ^vith their parents, and remain associated with them until the following 



