^18 CLASS AVES. 



# 



and the duration of tliat of the great titmouse is only five or 

 six years. Gout, and defluxions from the eyes, are the infir- 

 mities which mark its decHne. 



The flesh of this bird is eatable, but not particularly good, 

 and is seldom if ever fat. Empirics have attributed to it 

 certain medicinal properties, such as anti-epileptic, diuretic, 

 and remedial in calculous disorders. It is dried for these 

 purposes, reduced to powder, and administered in doses of 

 a scruple to a dram, in white wine, or some diuretic medium. 

 But this appears to be without foundation. 



The Cole Titmouse (Parus Ater) nestles, according to 

 Meyer, under the roots of some elevated tree, or in a hole, 

 which some mole has abandoned, and sometimes in a hollow 

 tree or hole in the wall. It lays six or eight white eggs, 

 spotted with points of a dusky hue, like the colour of musk. 

 The male and female are alike. It is common on the continent 

 of Europe, even as far north as Russia, and migrates south- 

 ward in autumn. Appellants of its own species are necessary 

 to draw it into snares. Forests of fir-trees and woods of 

 ever-ffreens are its favourite abodes. In the after-season, it 

 frequents orchards and gardens, especially the latter, when 

 turnsols are found there, in the seed of which it much de- 

 lights. It climbs and runs on trees like the rest of its con- 

 geners, and will suffer itself to be approached very near. It 

 is equally courageous with the other titmice ; but either less 

 subtle or more bold, for it gives into all kinds of snares ; and 

 even those which have been caught, and escaped several 

 times, may be taken again in the same way. 



The Marsh Titmouse (P. Palustris), delights not only in 

 woods, but frequents orchards. It is common in England, 

 and found in moist situations, chiefly where old willows 

 abound. It makes its nest in a decayed tree, and composes 

 it of moss and feathers, thistle-dowm, and sometimes a little 

 wool. The eggs are five or six, white, marked with red. 



