248 VERTEBRATE!^. 



56. The nest of this bird is built in a nole of a wall, or a de< 

 cayed tree, and in it are placed six or eight eggs, of a white color, 

 spotted with reddish brown. The length of the bird is about six 

 inches 



The Little Blue Titmouse is most amusingly courageous, 

 and from the strenuous resistance it oflFers to its capturer, has ac- 

 quired from rustic boys the name of " Billy-biter." The angry 

 hiss of the female has frequently caused an intruding hand to be 

 rapidly withdrawn, for the sound is so exceedingly like the hiss 

 of an irritated snake, and the little beak is so sharp, that few have 

 the courage to proceed with their investigations. A pair of these 

 birds built their nest in the coping of the Great Western Kailway, 

 at the Shrivenham station, England, not two feet from the fiery 

 and noisy engines, which were constantly passing. The men 

 respected the courage of the little birds, and this whole brood was 

 hatched, and suffered to fly at liberty. 



The Long-tailed Titmouse, unlike the other Tits, does 

 not frequent human habitations during the winter, but may be 

 seen in great numbers twisting and creeping about the branches 

 of hedge-rows and field trees. In the summer they are quite as 

 bold as their relations, and especially favor apple-trees, for the 

 sake of the diseased buds, which they pick off and devour, thereby 

 drawing upon themselves the vengeance of the gardener, who 

 prepares his gun, fires at the supposed depredators, and possibly 

 succeeds in killing them ; but he has also succeeded in doing more 

 damage to the healthy buds by his spare shot, than a score of tits 

 would injure during the entire season. 



The Wagtails, so named from the almost incessant vibra- 

 tion of their tails, are exclusively confined to the Old World. The 

 Pied Wagtail is the most common of its race. We often see it 

 pass rapidly, with its peculiar dipping flight; it settles on the 

 ground and wags its tail ; it runs a few paces, and wags its tail 

 again ; pecks at an insect, and its tail again vibrates, etc. It does 

 not hop, like the warblers, finches, etc., but runs with great 

 rapidity, and altogether looks very like a diminutive magpie. 

 Sand banks by the sides r>f rivers are the usual resort of these 



