THE SINGING BIRDS. 315 



Sometimes this bird selects very whimsical situations for a nest. Bishop Stanley, in his 

 " Familiar History of Birds," relates that " A pair of Titmice {Panes azruleus) built their nest in 

 the upper part of an old pump, fixing it on the pin on which the handle worked. It happened that 

 during the time of building and laying the eggs the pump had not been in use ; when again set going 

 the female was sitting, and it was naturally supposed that the motion of the pump-handle would drive 

 iier away. The young brood were, however, hatched safely, without any other misfortune than the 

 loss of a part of the tail of the sitting bird, which was rubbed off by the friction of the pump-handle. 

 The opening for a pump-handle seems, indeed, to be a favourite spot, notwithstanding its danger, as 

 we knew of another pair of Titmice, who for several days persevered in inserting, close upon the 

 point of the handle, the materials for a nest, though every time the handle was raised they were 

 either crushed or forced out, till the patience of the persevering little builders was fairly exhausted." 



■In the "Journal of a Naturalist" is the following interesting notice of the Blue Tit: — " I was 

 lately exceedingly pleased in witnessing the maternal care and intelligence of this bird ; the poor 

 thing had its young ones in the hole of a wall, and the nest had been nearly all drawn out of the 

 crevice by the paw of a cat, and part of its brood devoured. In re-visiting its home the bird 

 discovered some of its nestlings still alive, though wrapped up and hidden in the tangled moss and 

 feathers of their bed, and it then drew the whole of the nest back into the place from whence it had 

 been taken, unrolled and re-settled the remaining little ones, fed them with the usual attentions, and 

 finally succeeded in rearing them. The parents of even this reduced family laboured with great 

 perseverance to supply the wants of their progeny, one or other of them bringing a grub, caterpillar, 

 or some insect, at intervals of less than a minute during the day, and probably in the earlier part of 

 the morning more frequently. Now if we allow that they brought food to the hole every minute for 

 fourteen hours, and provided for their own wants also, it will admit, perhaps, a total of a thousand 

 grubs a day for the requirements of one, and that a diminished brood, and afford some adequate 

 comprehension of the infinite number requisite for the summer nutriment of our soft-billed birds, 

 and the great distances gone over by such as have young ones, in their numerous trips from hedge 

 to tree in the hours specified when they have full broods to support." 



" In winter," says Macgillivray, " the Blue Tit may be occasionally seen about the farm yard, 

 where it finds, when other food fails, a supply of oat or wheat seeds, which it jerks from their husks 

 with its wedge-like bill. It also frequents the doors and dunghills, to pick up a bit of suet, or nibble 

 a morsel of flesh ; and where carrion is kept, it is often seen to help itself to a share. Often, at this 

 season too, you may find it clinging to a wall, and digging at the loose plaster, to get at the insects 

 or pupse concealed behind. It will even make occasional excursions into the stubble near hedges or 

 woods ; and, in short, being in a manner omnivorous, it manages to get through the cold part of the 

 year as well as its neighbours. It is accused of attacking other small birds, and splitting their skulls, 

 but I have neither seen it do so, nor met with any other person who has ; and we know how, when 

 any assertion of the kind, however incredible, has been made, all the ornithologists catch the cry. It 

 reposes in holes in walls, or among ivy, and seems to suffer less in severe frosts than most birds." 



The song of the Blue Tits is a most insignificant performance, and their call-note a single shrill 

 chirp. In other respects, however, they are in no respect inferior to other members of their family. 

 In disposition they are lively, bold, and adventurous, and, were they a little larger, would probably 

 assail enemies twice their own size, at whom they can, as it is, only ruffle up their feathers, and 

 express, by vehement pecks and gesticulations, the pugnacious inclinations they cannot otherwise 

 indulge. During the spring they live in pairs, in the summer in families, and in autumn associate 

 in large flocks before commencing their winter excursions. Naumann tells us that previous to 

 .setting forth, these flocks assemble upon the tops of trees, calling incessantly to one another, as 



