CHAPTER LIX. 



The Cole Titmouse. 



Parus ater, Lin. ; Le petite Charhonniere, Buf. 



Description and Character. — The Cole Titmouse, or Coal Tit, 

 as it is occasionally designated, is the smallest of the British 

 species of this genus. Like its congeners, it is exceedingly active 

 and lively in its movements, and almost incessantly in motion. 

 It principally subsists on insects, and moves from tree to tree in 

 search of them in a rapid, business-like manner, examining with 

 great care and diligence almost every leaf and twig presenting 

 tokens of their presence, and seizing them with great dexterity. 

 The Cole Titmouse cannot be said to be a particularly handsome 

 bird, but is well known on account of its very conspicuous and 

 peculiar black and white markings. It forms a pleasing variety 

 when kept with other members of the Tit family ; but it should 

 not be kept in an aviary with birds of a different species, as, like 

 all other varieties of the Tit, it is naturally mischievous and 

 ■cruel, and would, without hesitation or compunction, destroy their 

 eggs or progeny. 



The full-length of the Cole Titmouse is 4in., of which the tail 

 measures IJin. ; it weighs about 2 drachms. The bill is black, 

 with a greyish tip. The iris is dark brown, verging on black. 

 The top of the head, hind part of neck, collar, throat, and upper 

 part of breast, are purplish black ; the cheeks, and fore part of 

 the neck, are greyish white, and there is a white spot on the back 

 of the neck. The back, shoulders, tail, and upper wing coverts, 

 are greenish ashen grey ; the large coverts are black ; both the 

 lesser and greater coverts are tipped with greyish white, forming 



