1060 Birds. 



many of the habits and manners of the titmice ; they fly similarly, 

 chirp, are very restless, hang to a branch with their backs downwards, 

 &c. As birds doomed by Nature to inhabit a cold northern district 

 in the European division of the world, they are remarkably impatient 

 of cold. The Hon. Mr. Herbert confirms this my former remark, (see 

 my Catalogue, 5, No. 30). " In confinement," says he, "the least 

 frost is immediately fatal to them. In a wild state, they keep them- 

 selves warm by constant active motion in the day, and at night they 

 secrete themselves in places, where the frost cannot reach them, — but 

 I apprehend that numbers do perish in severe winters." 



I have not yet discovered in this vicinity the Flame-coloured Gold- 

 en Crest, Regulus ignicapillus of Jenyns. 



Great Tit, Ox-eye, Parus major. 



Blue Tit, Blue-cap, Parus cceruleus. A pert and bold little beauty. 

 It is entertaining to watch the motions of this bird, and to witness the 

 ease with which he hangs to the under side of a bough, with his back 

 downwards. One of the most active and busy of the feathered tribe. 

 Gardeners ignorantly persecute him for his supposed destruction to 

 the flower-buds of fruit-trees : in this respect, however, he often does 

 more good than actual harm, for his prey is insects, and not flowers. 

 I have several times witnessed his use in destroying the American 

 blight {Aphis lanigera), now so common on our best varieties of ap- 

 ple-trees, which he devours with great delight. The Tomtit builds 

 his nest in extraordinary places, quite regardless of danger; I well 

 recollect to have found one within the wooden case of a pump, which 

 tbe parent birds entered and came out of by the part left for the han- 

 dle to work in. 



Cole Tit, Parus ater. This species is included in Mr. Graves's 

 ' Catalogue of Cleveland Birds.' Authors write the word " cole," but 

 this appears to me to be a mistake for coal — the bird being so named 

 from the quantity of black {ater) in its plumage, especially in that of 

 the male. This I think is corroborated from Buffon's having called it 

 " la petite charbonniere" — the little coal-woman. 



Marsh Tit, Parus palustris. 



Long-tailed Tit, Parus caudatus. Dr. Leach separated this bird 

 from the Pari, and gave it the generic name of Mecistura, signifying,. 

 longest tail. The bill of this genus appears almost uselessly short — 

 in fact, like a deformity. It is rather a scarce bird hereabouts. In 

 its rapid flight it somewhat resembles an arrow. It possesses great 

 parental attachment, as the young, ten or twelve in number, keep with 

 their parents, until the season of nidification returns. Jt utters a 



