344 



British Cage Birds. 



birthplace, and the parents continue to exhibit an interest in 

 their welfare. 



The nest is skilfully built, and composed of layers of moss, 

 wool, and hair, or feathers, and is rather bulky. The young 

 do not leave the nest until they are about three weeks old ; 

 they, however, occasionally come out for a short time to stretch 

 their limbs, but retire at once on hearing the least noise. In 

 winter, during severe weather, and when pressed by hunger or 

 thirst, these birds visit villages, farmhouses, and small country 

 towns, and become almost as tame and bold as House 

 Sparrows. 



Methods of Capture. — In the winter time, when frost 

 and snow make it a difficult matter for birds in the open air to 

 procure food. Great Titmice betake themselves to the neighbour- 

 hood of dwellings, farmsteads, orchards, gardens, &c., and may 

 then be caught readily with a decoy bird and limed twigs, 

 placed on a piece of ground baited with hemp seed, groats, or 

 a little finely-shredded suet. They can likewise be taken with 

 horse-hair nooses, attached to a cord, and fixed to the ground 

 with short sticks ; or in spring traps, formed chiefly of wood, 

 and covered with felt horsecloth at the sides, or jaws, to pre- 

 vent injury to the captives. Occasionally these birds will enter 

 the ordinary trap cage, but, as a rule, only when pressed by 

 hunger. 



Food and Treatment. — In a wild state, Great Titmice feed 

 upon insects of various sorts — moths, caterpillars, flies, gnats, 

 grasshoppers, bees, woodlice, ants, &c. When insects become 

 scarce, they resort to seeds of various kinds, berries, &c. They 

 are partial to maggots and decayed meat. 



In confinement, they will eat almost any kind of food supplied 

 to soft-billed birds, as they are not at all dainty in the matter of 

 diet; seeds of most sorts, insects, mealworms, wasp grub, and vege- 

 tables, may be given them. They are very fond of cheese, boiled 

 or roasted fat meat, and of suet, and eat the Compounds No. 

 1 and No. 2 {vide pp. 189, 190) with evident delight, especially 

 No. 1. They hold their food between their claws, and pull it 

 to pieces in the same manner as a hawk does. 



Bearing the Young. — The young may be taken when twelve 

 days old, and either reared on white bread, soaked in milk, and 

 mixed with ants' eggs, or on beef, or bullock's heart, chopped 

 fine, and mixed with breadcrumbs, moistened with water. As 



