TITMICE 209 



ease. Thus an insect cannot hide in any part of a tree where they 

 are unable to follow and find it out. 



These titmice are useful little birds, for many of the insects 

 which they kill are very mischievous, and would do a great deal of 

 harm if they were not destroyed. 



One of these insects we call the "woolly blight". We have 

 perhaps seen on the trunk and branches of an apple-tree a number 

 of what look like little white tufts of cotton-wool. These tufts are 

 the covering of this little blight insect, which drives its sharp 

 beak into the bark, and sucks up the sap. . It is a small insect, 

 it is true, and cannot do much harm singly. But it increases 

 in numbers so very fast that soon the trunk and branches are 

 almost covered with tufts of the white cottony substance, and the 

 tree is weakened and cannot bear its proper crop of fruit. And at 

 last it may even die from the injury which it receives. 



Now the titmice are very fond of these troublesome little 

 creatures, and destroy great numbers of them every year. We 

 may see them running up and down the trees, and busily pecking 

 away at the tufts of " wool ". As they kill many other mischievous 

 insects also, they are true friends to us; and we may well forgive 

 them the little harm they do to our fruit-blossoms in spring, and to 

 our ripe pears in autumn. 



Most of the titmice build their nests in holes in trees, so small 

 that there is only just room for the birds to pass in and out. Very 

 warm little nests they are, made of wool, moss, and feathers; and 

 in them the mother bird lays a number of little white eggs, prettily 

 spotted with red. 



If the mother bird is disturbed while sitting on her eggs she 

 utters a hiss, just like a snake. And she will fiercely peck the 

 fingers of any one who tries to interfere with her or take her 

 eggs. 



The long-tailed titmouse builds its nest on a branch or in a 

 bush, and covers it all over with spiders' webs and bits of lichen, so 

 that it may not be noticed. It is a very beautiful nest; and, as it 

 is made in the shape of a bottle without a neck, the bird is often 

 called the " bottle-tit ". 



{M868) P 



