356 



PARUS. 



brown colour. The old birds sit very close on their eggs when near 

 hatching ; and we have been informed by a gentleman of veracity, that 

 he saw this bird taken with her eggs on the point of hatching, and car- 

 ried in a hat to some distance : and that she continued to sit in con- 

 finement, and brought out her young. The time of incubation is three 

 weeks ; the young leave the nest in twelve hours ; the parent birds are 

 equally tenacious of their young, and lead them immediately to ant- 

 hills, on the eggs of which they principally feed at first. 



These birds flock together in broods till the returning spring. Some- 

 times three or four coveys will assemble in winter, and are then ex- 

 ceedingly shy. In vain may the sportsman pursue them, unless by 

 surprise he can break and scatter the covey. 



About the middle of February they begin to pair. In June they 

 lay, and the young are excluded about the middle of July, and in about 

 three weeks are capable of flying. 



This is one of the few birds known under the denomination of game, 

 and protected by the legislature. But notwithstanding many severe penal 

 laws are enacted for its preservation, it is a query if the breed is not 

 decreased thereby. The great demand of the luxurious and wealthy, 

 and the high price given for these birds, is too great a temptation to 

 the poacher ; and he risks his liberty to supply the tables of the rich. 

 Thus the several laws respecting game are ineffectual : they only serve 

 to enhance the price, and hold out a temptation for the husbandman to 

 ruin himself and family ; whereas if the penalty was made much greater, 

 and that wholly confined to the buyer, it would fall upon the tempters, 

 who should be the only persons obliged by law to pay for their luxuries. 

 The late act of parliament for confining the killing of this species be- 

 tween the fourteenth of September and the twelfth of February, only 

 tended, in some degree, to preserve them from the fowler, but not from 

 the nets of the poacher. 



There are several varieties mentioned of this bird, but they are 

 merely accidental defects. Four entirely white were taken alive out of 

 one covey, by order of the late Lord Courtenay, at Powderham, in 

 Devonshire, three of which we saw. These were intended to be given 

 their liberty in the spring, in hopes of propagating the breed ; but we 

 never heard if it had the effect, or what became of them. 



PARUS (Linnaeus.) — * Tit, a genus thus characterised. Bill strong, 

 short, somewhat conical, slightly compressed, sharp pointed, and hard; 

 nostrils at the base round, covered with reflected bristly feathers ; feet 

 with three toes before and one behind, the fore ones divided to their 

 origin, the hind toe strong and armed with a long hooked claw ; wings 



