THE BUSH-TIT AND ITS NEST. 



(Psaitnparus minimus.') 



The Bush-Tit or Least Titmouse be- 

 longs to the large bird family, Paridae. 

 The species of this family are repre- 

 sented by the titmice, nuthatchets and 

 chickadees. In distribution, the family 

 is quite cosmopolitan, and contains sev- 

 eral species that are noted for the pe- 

 culiar and beautiful nests that they 

 build. The majority of the species, how- 

 ever, choose, as a site for their home, 

 holes in trees, or in fence rails and 

 posts, or in the timbers of old buildings. 

 These cavities are neatly and warmly 

 lined with a thick matting of vegetable 

 down, animal hair and feathers. The 

 homes of the true titmice are found in 

 such places. 



The Bush-Tits of the Pacific coast of 

 the United States, as well as nearly all 

 the other species of long-tailed titmice, 

 build wonderful nests which are pensil 

 and exceedingly large, when the size of 

 the birds is considered. Minimus, the 

 specific name of the Bush-Tit which we 

 illustrate, is an appropriate name, for 

 the bird is scarcely larger than our com- 

 mon humming bird. In the forests of 

 the Pacific coast, it is an abundant and 

 familiar bird, and its gentle, though 

 active, nature endears it to all observers 

 of bird life. It is said that at times it is 

 so intent in its search for insect food 

 that it is perfectly oblivious 'to its sur- 

 roundings and may be easily taken alive. 

 By imitating its call-notes, a number of 

 Bush-Tits may always be attracted to 

 the vicinity of the intruder. 



The Bush-Tits are usually seen in 

 small fiocks, and the birds, while hunt- 

 ing for insects on the tree foliage, will 

 constantlyutter their call-notes. Though 

 it is seldom that two nests are found 

 ver}' near together, yet if one pair is 

 frightened and utters an alarm-note, a 

 number of others will soon appear in 

 the vicinity. If one of a flock is killed. 



great anxiety is shown by all the rest. 

 They gather around and utter a call 

 that seems almost pathetic, and flying a 

 short distance, while still uttering the 

 call, seem to invite the dead companion , 

 to follow. So profound is their anxiety 1 

 and so earnest is their effort to arouse 

 the dead bird, that the presence of a 

 person is hardly noticed. 



The nest of the Bush-Tit is an elabo- 

 rate affair about eight inches long and 

 three inches in diameter, and in form 

 quite like a long purse. It is suspended 

 from the branches of any tree that suits 

 the fancy of the birds, and is seldom 

 more than five or six feet above the 

 ground. The structure is a woven mass 

 of twigs, moss, bark fibers, leaves and 

 lichens. The entrance is near the top 

 and sheltered by a cover or roof 6i 

 woven moss and lichens, and also by 

 the foliage of the twigs from which it is 

 suspended. The opening is further 

 strengthened by a strongly woven ring. 

 An observer, describing the interior of a 

 nest, says: "Tlie passageway, at a dis- 

 tance of two inches within the opening, 

 suddenly contracts and its course from 

 being horizontal, descends perpendicu- 

 larly to the bottom of the nest. The 

 narrow passage below this neck-like 

 contraction, as well as the whole struc- 

 ture itself, again expands, growing 

 larger as it descends, and the lower por- 

 tion of the nest takes the shape of a 

 cylindrical pouch, three inches in diam- 

 eter at its greatest enlargement. The 

 length of the passageway is about six 

 inches." It seems almost impossible that 

 two tinv birds can build in a short time 

 such an elaborate and so large a nest. ' 

 Even the gathering of the materials 

 must require a large amount of labor. 

 It has been suggested by several ob- 

 servers that the nest is not the result of 

 the labor of a single pair of the birds, 



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