AZURE TIT. . 67 



When the first edition was published very little was known about 

 the breeding and general habits of this lovely bird, but since then several 

 naturalists have added to our knowledge thereof. One of the most 

 elaborate articles upon the subject was inserted in the "Journal fur 

 Ornithologie " for 1871, by Mr. Th. Lorenz, who lives in the neighbour- 

 hood of Moscow, and from this I will make an extract or two. — "In 

 the autumn of 1869 I purchased an Azure Titmouse for four roubles 

 (12s. 6d. of our money), a price not so high for so rare a bird. Two 

 weeks later in November I was going out shooting, the snow being 

 seven inches deep. When walking through my garden, which is 

 bounded by willow trees, and close to the river, I suddenly heard 

 the call of an Azure Titmouse. I pulled out my bird-whistle, 

 answered and saw the lovely little bird within twenty yards of where 

 I stood. I fired and brought it down; but it was only winged, and 

 before I could catch it, it called, and immediately another came flying 

 towards me. I hurried home for my trap-cage and tame bird. I had 

 hardly set it, and retired five paces, when the bird came to it, attracted 

 by the call of my decoy. The beauty of its plumage when on the 

 wing can hardly be described. The lovely white and brilliant blue 

 looked beautiful when contrasted with the snowy background. The 

 bird's movements were exceedingly lively, the white crest being con- 

 tinually raised and depressed, and altogether it appeared a more agile 

 and active bird than any of its family. It was caught while I was 

 close to it, and it did not appear to evince any of the caution shown 

 by other Titmice. When I had taken it home I offered it dead ants 

 and shelled hempseed, which were immediately devoured, and when, 

 half an hour after, I offered it a live cockroach, to my astonishment 

 it climbed up the side of the cage, seized and devoured it there and 

 then. All its shyness disappeared, and even at night, when the room 

 was lighted, it would take a mealworm or cockroach when offered." 



A week later Mr. Lorenz caught three more, which, when brought 

 home, took ants and cockroaches as the others had done. He ulti- 

 mately put them altogether into a large cage, containing two Corello 

 Parrots, where their lively habits were a source of continual enjoyment 

 and no little astonishment to the Parrots. The Titmice remained on 

 excellent terms with each other, except that during feeding time the 

 strongest would drive off the weaker. In going to roost they all tried 

 to get the highest perch, when they huddled close together, each 

 forming its droll ball-like shape when asleep. The song is merely the 

 usual call uttered in a low tone, with here and there louder notes. 

 When on the wing they frequently utter a loud 'tirr, tirr.' When 

 settled they survey the ground about them, and utter a loud but 



