32 



Titmice. 



of the countries where the gypsy moth is native. They are 

 all recognised as eminently beneficial, and are regarded by 

 foresters, entomologists, and ornithologists as among the most 

 useful species in controlling noxious insects. Could they be 

 successfully introduced here they might do a vast amount of 

 good, not only in destroying the eggs of the gypsy moth, but 

 their larvae also, as well as the eggs of many injurious 

 insects." 



In a bad attack of gypsy moth in 1848 in Germany it appears 

 that all the trunks and branches of the trees on a certain 

 estate were covered with the egg clusters of these insects. 

 It was a useless task to attempt to remove them by hand, and 

 the trees were not expected to survive. Towards the winter, 

 however, numbers of titmice and wrens came daily to the 

 trees and the egg clusters disappeared. In the following 

 spring twenty pairs of titmice nested in the place, with the 

 result that the plague was noticeably reduced, and a year 

 later the birds had cleared off the insects to such an extent 

 that the trees had entirely recovered their former vigour. 



These useful little birds, the tits, do not appear in the 

 schedule of the Wild Birds Protection Act of 1880. Some 

 species, however, have been added to it in a few counties of 

 England. The eggs of some are also protected under the Act 

 of 1 894 in a few counties. In the counties of Northumberland, 

 York (E. Riding), Cambridge, Chester, Norfolk, East Suffolk, 

 Devon, Essex, Kent, Isle of Wight, the eggs of all the species 

 of tits are protected in the specified breeding areas. Both 

 the birds themselves, as well as their eggs, deserve to be 

 preserved. 



