30 



eaten any portion of the buds or not. Bud scales are evidently 

 taken by these birds occasionally (see records Nos. 108, 109, 

 in, &c.) though to a very small extent and these cannot, 

 I think, be looked upon as a source of food supply. 



125. Scale Insects. — During the winter months scale insects 

 of various kinds are eaten in large numbers as the records 

 abundantly testify ; and in the field one finds that the vast 

 colonies of these insects are often considerably reduced by 

 this and the allied species of Tits. The species which are eaten 

 to a marked extent are : (1) The mussel scale of the apple, &c. 

 (Mytilaspis pomorum) ; (2) the white scale of the willow and 

 ash (Chionaspis salicis) ; (3) the pit-making coccid of the oak 

 (Asterolecanium quercicola) ; (4) the young forms of the goose- 

 berry scale [Lecanium persicce var. ribis) and other allied species 

 of this genus (L. bituberculatum, L. caprece, &c.) ; (5) the young 

 forms of the cottony cushion scale of the currant (Pulvinaria 

 vitis var. ribesice) . Colonies of all these insects which had been 

 artificially established in my garden (Chester) for special study, 

 were so persistently robbed that the host plants had eventually 

 to be protected with netting. At the conclusion of my 

 investigations on the bionomics of scale insects* the netting 

 was removed, with the result that 4 and 5 have now (1908) 

 been completely exterminated ; the others have survived in 

 small numbers only. 



126. Oak Galls. — In Cheshire the tenants of the marble gall 

 of the oak (Cynips kollari) are also eagerly sought for during 

 the autumn and winter in some localities, the insects being 

 extracted after considerable labour has been expended in 

 excavating the hard woody structure. Blue Tits will also 

 extract the tenants of the oak leaf gall (Neuroterus lenticularis) 

 after the galls have fallen from the trees. 



127. Beech Masts, Chestnuts, &c. — In winter they will eat 

 beech masts and sweet chestnuts with avidity, and occasionally 

 also horse chestnuts. They are passionately fond of the seeds 

 of the sunflower, and feed readily on maize (Cheshire and 

 Gloucestershire) ; and I have seen them feeding upon meat 

 exposed for sale in a butcher's shop at Upwell, Cambs. 



128. Garden Peas. — Garden peas are said to be destroyed 



* 1902. 



