224 THE BLUE TITMOUSE. 



downwards (to my no small delight and admiration) draw straws lengthwise from out the eaves 

 of thatched houses, in order to pull out the flies that were concealed betsveen them ; and 

 that in such numbers that they quite defaced the thatch, and gave it a ragged apjaear- 

 ance." In very severe winters, the birds will even carry away the barley and oat straws from 

 the rick^ 



The little Blue Titmouse is one of the most familiar birds of Europe, as it is widely 

 spread throughout the land, and is of so bold a nature that it exhibits itself fearlessly to any 

 observer. 



In many of its habits it resembles the last-mentioned species, but it nevertheless possesses 

 a very marked character, and has peculiarities which are all its own. As it trips glancingly 

 over the branches, it hardly looks like a bird, for its quick limbs and strong claws carry it 

 over the twigs with such rapidity that it resembles a blue mouse rather than one of the 

 feathered tribe. Being almost exclusively an insect-eating bird, and a most voracious Kttle 

 creature, it renders invaluable service to the agriculturist and the gardener by discovering and 

 destroying the insects which crowd upon the trees and plants in the early days of spring, and 

 which, if not removed, would effectually injure a very large proportion of the fruit and pro- 

 duce. In the coux'se of a single day a pair of blue Titmice were seen to visit their nest four 

 hundred and seventy-five tunes, never bringing less than one large caterpillar, and generally 

 two or three small ones. These birds, therefore, destroyed, on the average, upwards of five 

 hundred caterpillars daily, being a minimum of iif teen thousand during the few weeks employed 

 in rearing their young. 



"While searching for insects, the Blue Titmouse often bites away the buds of fruit-trees, 

 together with pears and apples, but in almost every case it seeks to devour, not the fruit, 

 but a maggot which lies concealed within it, and which, if not destroyed, would not only 

 injure the paiiicular fruit, but would also destroy many others bj^ means of its future 

 progeny. The food of this bird is of a most multifarious character, for the Blue Titmouse has 

 been known to eat eggs, other birds which it kills when yoimg or disabled, meat of various 

 kinds, for which it always haunts the knackers' yards and country slaughter-houses, peas, 

 oats, and the various kinds of food which are to be found in farm-yards. So fond is it of fat 

 meat, that a piece of beef suet is an unfailing bait which always succeeds in attracting the 

 Titmouse into tlie jaws of the trap. It has even been known to i^eck holes in hens' eggs, 

 for the purpose of eating the contents ; but on account of the large size of the eggs, it was not 

 able to attain its purpose. I have even seen the Titmice unite against a tame hawk which 

 I kept, assault him simultaneously, and carry off the piece of meat which had just been 

 given to him. 



It is a very pugnacious Little bird, and is always ready for a combat with any one of its 

 own kind. But in the breeding season its combative character is developed to the fullest extent, 

 and the tinj^ blue creature will boldly attack a man if he should happen to approach too near 

 the nest. Should the position of the nest be discovered, and the hand inserted in order to feel 

 for the eggs, the mother-bird utters a shai-p, angry hiss, and bites so sharply at the intruding 

 fingers that they are generally hastily %vithdrawn, under the impression that a viper has been 

 the hidden aggressor. Small as is the bird, her beak is so sharp and strong that it can cause 

 considerable pain, and has earned for the bird the i^rovincial name of Billy Biter. I once got 

 the tii:)s of my fingers sadly maltreated by a female Titmouse, while I was trying to feel the 

 position of the eggs. 



The nest of this species may be found in the most extraordinary localities, such as hollow 

 trees, holes in old walls, the interior of disused spoixts, sides of gravel-pits, the hat of a scare- 

 crow, the inside of a porcelain jnr, or the cylinder of a pump. One bird had actually chosen 

 a bee-hive as its residence, and liad succeeded in building its nest and I'earing its young while 

 surrounded by the bees going to and returning from their work. Another Titmouse contrived 

 to get into a weathercock on the summit of a spire, and there made its nest in security. The 

 eggs are small and rather numerous, being generally about eight or ten, but sometimes exceed- 

 ing the latter number. 



