15 L Y T II ON BRITISH T ITS. 



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expressly says, that " like the greater Titmouse, it will also attack other 

 small birds, sometimes killing them in a similar manner." This un- 

 accountable diversity, in the nature of different animals of the same 

 species, shows how cautious we should be in drawing conclusions from 

 the observation of a single individual. 



Few persons are aware that the Tits ever attempt to sing. The 

 Marsh Tit is, I think, the most musical, and I have heard some notes 

 from this species which were exceedingly soft and pleasing : he usually 

 commences with a long squeaking preamble, and finishes with a few 

 remarkably sweet and musical notes ; I have heard a very similar song 

 from the robin : sometimes he begins with tsep, tsep, tsep, repeated 

 several times in rapid succession, and concludes with a mellow soft 

 song. The common chirp of the Marsh Tit may be expressed by the 

 sound tiss-yip ; and sometimes a very loud hweel is uttered nine or ten 

 times in quick succession. He has also a loud and remarkable note of 

 alarm, beginning shrill, and ending like the chatter of a magpie : this 

 lie utters whenever he perceives an owl, a cat, a weasel, or any other 

 object of distrust ; and it is amazing how quick all the Tits are in 

 spying out an enemy. I have often heard the various Tits that I have 

 kept together in confinement, all set up their alarm notes when I have 

 been for some time quite at a loss to find out the cause ; and at length, 

 perhaps, discovered that a cat was quietly sitting on the top of some 

 distant house: the appearance of a boy with a monkey, at the distance 

 of at least fifty yards, once caused them all to utter their notes of alarm; 

 and at another time, when my attention was aroused by their repeated 

 cries, I could perceive nothing but one outstretched paw of a sleeping 

 cat, about an inch of which only was visible. I have heard the Cole 

 Tit make some very tolerable attempts at song, and this species will 

 sometimes sit for half an hour together, uttering a shrill monotonous 

 sree, sree, sree, more like the noise of some insect than the note of a 

 bird. The common call-note of the Cole Tit may be expressed by 

 peet-chy, peet-chy, peet-chy-wee, sometimes pronounced quick, and 

 sometimes very slowly. Peet-chy is often repeated a dozen times in 

 succession, and always very distinct. It has also a call resembling 

 churwee, churwee, churwee. The Cole Tit has a greater variety of 

 notes than the Marsh Tit, and one of them is not unlike the sharp veel, 

 veet of the chaffinch. The Blue Tit's song is monotonous, but very 

 musical and soft ; it resembles the tingling ringing note of the Bottle 

 Tit : this species also has a considerable variety of calls, many of which 

 are very similar to those of the Ox-eye ; like that bird and the Cole Tit, 



