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gotten its freedom, and even in the evenings, when the room was lighted up, was quite tame, and 
would take a cockroach or mealworm when offered. A week later I hung up the trap-cage well 
baited, and containing the live bird, in the garden above referred to. I watched it patiently, and 
listened to every Titmouse-call; plenty of Coal Titmice came; but none entered the trap, though 
they eagerly devoured the dried ants which were strewn about. At last I heard the call-note of 
an Azure Titmouse; my bird became restless and called loudly ; and I soon saw three of these lovely 
birds approaching, and though they flew low I recognized them immediately. I had meanwhile 
approached within fifteen paces of the trap. ‘The first two birds were caught immediately; and I 
hurried to take them out as fast as I could; for it took some time to do so, through the snow. In 
the hurry and excitement I had set the trap so badly that when the third bird (a splendid male), 
which had watched quietly while his comrades were being caught and I was setting the trap, 
entered the latter, it struck so slowly that he escaped. However, he returned directly and tried 
to enter at the other side; but unfortunately the other door struck too slowly, and he again escaped, 
but did not fly away further than five paces. The bird, however, had now become more cautious, 
and, though it returned to the cage, tried to take the bait without touching the trigger. As, 
however, the insect was on the ground, this proved a difficult matter, and he tried to secure it 
without success. At last he entered and took the insect, forgetting all caution; and in trying to 
return he touched the trigger and was captured immediately. I hurried to bring the prisoners 
home, placed them in cages, and tried the same experiment with a live cockroach as I did with the 
first bird I had captured, and with the same success; for they took and devoured the insect. Later 
I caught four more Azure Titmice at the same place, all of which went into the trap without signs 
of fear. I soon found that they injured their beaks by their uneasy and restless habits; and two 
died from these injuries; these I skinned and put into my small collection. I bethought myself 
of a mode of avoiding this. I had observed that two Azure Titmice which I had placed in the 
same cage did not quarrel like the other species (such as Coal Titmice or Blue Titmice); so I put 
all my birds in a large cage, 40 inches high and 28 inches broad, in which I kept two Corella 
Parrots. ‘These latter were greatly astonished at their new companions, and bit at them repeatedly, 
but could never touch the nimble little birds. It was a pleasure to observe these lovely Titmice ; 
for they were always on the move, and in this large cage their beautiful plumage showed to great 
advantage. The Parrots seemed puzzled as the active 'Titmice flew past them and were never to 
be caught; but they soon got to be good friends, and a Titmouse would often roost close to a 
Parrot, the latter never interfering with his small friend. The Titmice remained on excellent 
terms and never fought over their food, which consisted of shelled hemp-seed and dried ants (not 
ants eggs); and when I held out a mealworm or cockroach they would hang on the side of the 
cage to take the dainty morsel; but as I only produced one insect at once, they would squabble, and 
the stronger bird would drive the weaker off; and this continued until all were satisfied. Excepting 
at this time and when they settled down to roost, they never squabbled; but in roosting they all 
tried to get the highest perch. When each one had got a place, they huddled close together; and 
when they had, as all these small birds do, settled into a sort of feather-ball shape, they looked 
most droll; for one could only see the white of the breast, the underparts, and the long blue tail. 
In the daytime after feeding, when the sun shone on their cage, the males would utter their song, 
if it may be thus termed; for it is scarcely worthy of the name, as it consists merely of the usual call 
