The Blue Tit. 27 



He is a most innocent and careful bird, doing not a 

 little service in picking the minute insects off the buds 

 and leaves of certain fruit trees. And if he has a 

 wonderful tongue for something else than singing, what 

 an eye he must have, also, to be sure ? 



The blue-tit is very fond of fat; and if a lump of 

 suet or tallow, or a greasy bone, is hung from the 

 branch of a tree not far off, you will be surprised at 

 the quickness with which the blue-tits will find it out ; 

 and you will be forced to admire the nimbleness with 

 which these birds will fix upon it, swing round with 

 it, and speedily eat off the bulk of what is in their 

 view tasty viands, all the time performing the most 

 graceful evolutions for your delight. Any one who has 

 not witnessed this sight cannot be said to have seen 

 the blue-tit in his glory. Another peculiar habit of 

 the blue-tit is, that, like the woodpeckers, it either 

 finds, or by great industry, excavates a hole in a tree, 

 and is most methodic and careful in carrying away 

 any chips that may have been produced and dropped 

 to the ground, so that this hint, at any rate, to the 

 position of the nest might not be given to any ill- 

 disposed bird or person. Cunning little tomtit ! 



Now and then a bullfinch pays me a visit. See, 

 there he goes — I must be careful not to startle him — 

 with his fair fawn breast and his dark velvety back, 

 and his occasional sweet note, which he is somewhat 

 careful not to indulge just now, whether from fear of 

 attracting notice or for other reasons. He is so much 

 hunted- as an eater of fruit-buds in the spring that 

 every man's hand is against him here, and he is very 

 seldom to be seen. He is specially fond of the plum 

 and cherry, and when these are in bud, Mr. Bullfinch 

 won't taste the buds of their wild congeners in the 



