THE ROBIN— THE TITMOUSE. 261 



the Blue Titmouse, the Great Titmouse, and the Long-tailed 

 Titmouse are some of these. The Blue Titmouse, sometimes 

 called a Tomtit, is a plucky little bird and resists capture 

 with such vigour that according to the ^ev. J. G. Wood it has 

 become known to rustic boys by the name of "Billybiter." 

 "The angry hiss of the female," says Mr. Wood, "has fre- 

 quently caused an intruding hand to be rapidly withdrawn, for 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 Reiilway, at 

 the Shrivenham station, not two feet from the fiery and 

 noisy engines, which were constantly passing. The men re- 

 spected the courage of the little birds, and the whole brood 

 was hatched, and suffered to fly at liberty." 



The Great Titmouse is found in various parts of Europe. 

 According to Mrs. Bowdich it is sufficiently pliable to roll 

 itself up in a ball, and is strong enough to crack a hazel nut. 

 She says, " It will plant itself at the door of a hive, and tap 

 loudly on the edge; which signal is answered by a sentinel 

 bee who is immediately snapped up, taken to the bough of 

 a tree where he is beaten to death, and then loses his head 

 and thorax; the rest of him being unworthy of the appetite 

 of his captor." The Long-tailed Titmouse is famous for the 

 beauty, security and warmth of its nest. 

 The Qoiden The Golden Oriole deserves mention if only 

 Oriole, for its beautiful name; it has, however, other 

 claims to attention. It is foimd in Europe and Australia and 

 visits England occasionally dming the summer, but is not 

 found in America. The male is a very handsome bird of a 

 golden yellow colour, with wings and tail of black, the 

 feathers of the latter ending in yellow. It lives on fruit and 

 berries, and, failing these, insects, and inhabits thickets and 

 wooded spots adjacent to orchards, upon which it commits 

 serious depredations. 



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