38 THE GREAT TIT, OX-EYE, OR TOMTIT 



birds of the same family. It is, however, great-hearted, as far 

 as boldness and bravery entitle it to this epithet, being ready 

 to give battle to birds far its superiors in size, foremost to join 

 in mobbing an intrusive Owl, and prepared to defend its nest 

 against robbers of all kinds. Its powers of locomotion are consi- 

 derable, as it is strong in flight, active on the ground, and as a 

 climber is surpassed by few rivals. Its stout and much-curved 

 hind claw gives it great facility in clinging to the twigs and branches 

 of trees, sides of ricks, and even the walls of houses. Such situations 

 it resorts to in quest of its favourite food, caterpillars and pupae 

 of aU kinds, and it is most amusing to watch it while thus en- 

 gaged. Attitude seems to be a matter of no consequence ; it 

 can cling with perfect security to an3rthing but a smooth surface. 

 On trees it hangs from the branches, with its back either down- 

 wards, or turned sideways, and explores crevices in walls with 

 as little regard to the vertical position of the surface to which it 

 clings, as if it were examining a hole in the level ground. Its 

 efforts to disengage a chrysalis from its cocoon are very enter- 

 taining. One scarcely knows which most to admire, the tenacity 

 of its grasp, the activity with which it turns its head and body, or 

 the earnestness and determination with which it clears away every 

 obstacle until it has secured the prize. It does not, however, 

 hmit its food to insects ; it is accused of feeding occasionally on the 

 buds of fruit-trees, but it is doubtful whether the bird has any other 

 object in attacking these, than that of hunting out the insects that in- 

 fest them. It is said also to be very fond of nuts, which it sticks into 

 crevices in the bark of trees, and cracks by repeated blows of its 

 beak. Whether it has this power, I do not know ; but that it will 

 eat nuts of every kind, it is easy to prove by fastening the kernels 

 of filberts or walnuts to the trunks of trees by means of stout pins. 

 Tits, great and little, and Nuthatches, if there be any in the neigh- 

 bourhood, will soon discover them, and if once attracted may thus 

 be induced to pay daily visits to so productive a garden. A Great 

 Tit of unusual intelligence, which frequents my garden at the 

 present time, has been frequently observed to draw up by its claws 

 a walnut suspended by a string from the bough of an apple-tree, 

 and to rifle its contents, being itself all the while leisurely perched 

 on the twig, and keeping the nut firm by a dexterous use of its 

 claws. A charge, amounting to a grave accusation against the 

 Great Tit, and one which cannot be palliated by the plea that he 

 has accomplices, is, that when driven by hunger and he has the 

 opportunity, he attacks other small and weakly birds, spUts their 

 skulls by means of his strong, sharp beak, and picks out their 

 brains. One story in particular I find, of a Great Tit having been 

 placed in a well-fiUed aviary. In the course of a single night, he 

 had killed every one of his companions, with the exception of a 

 Quail, and when he was discovered, he was in the very act of dealing 



