132 
NATURE NOTES. 
wool and feathers that formed the nest. If the mother were 
absent she would soon make her appearance on the nearest apple 
tree, and by sharp cries of “ tit, tit, tit ” show that she somewhat 
resented our inspection of her offspring. If, however, she were 
already on the nest, she would remain there undisturbed, and 
such was her fearlessness that on one occasion she allowed herself 
to be mistaken for one of her young, and lifted right out of the j 
nest. Then, as our hand unclosed, she flew away with indignant [ 
protestations. The tits, when quite small, were odd-looking ^ 
things, with triangular heads out of proportion to their tiny 3 
bodies ; but as their blue and gold plumage developed they j 
became lovely little creatures. There were seven of them in all, s 
and when they were fully fledged our minds were much exercised ‘j 
as to how the mother bird would get them out of the barrel ! * 
This problem, however, remained for us unsolved, for, coming A 
one morning to inspect the nest as usual, we found it empty. ' 
The seven little tits had all got out, but whether by their own ' 
exertions or dragged forth by their energetic parents we should 
never know. One poor little tit we found dead on the pathway, < 
and as its neck was pierced, apparently by some sharp instrument, | 
we conjectured that its Spartan mother, finding it weakly, had '| 
sternly pecked it to death. The remaining six were flitting 
about the branches of a neighbouring tree, and were seen for r' 
some days afterwards, together with the parent-birds, who | 
directed their movements with shrill cries of “ tit, tit, tit.” 
Birds, as is well known, grow very confiding at the breeding 
season. We had frequent occasion to note this, and in some 
cases the “confidence” amounted to sheer impudence. A 
burglarious blackbird, for instance, had the cool assurance to 
build her nest in a conspicuous position, close to a strawberry '! 
bed, apparently for the express purpose of having a supply of f, 
wholesome, appetising food within easy reach ! Three wrens \ 
also built in more or less exposed situations; but this was most 1, 
unfortunate, for the nests were all deserted before any eggs were • j 
laid, owing doubtless to the too lively interest taken in them by ;i 
passers by. It is, indeed, fatal to look often into a nest or handle 1 
the eggs until the full number have been laid and the bird begins 
to sit. The curiosity of would-be naturalists stifles many a 
promised brood, and we found that the best plan for the security 
of a nest was to confide the secret of its whereabouts only to one 
or two trusty friends. Happily the birds that built in our garden ! 
brought their labours for the most part to a successful issue, and 
by the end of June our trees and hedges were peopled with a 
multitude of tiny twitterers. It is delightful to watch a brood of 
young birds exercising their new-found powers of flight. \\’e 
enjoyed this pleasure one sunny afternoon, seated under the 
shade of a tall old fir tree. In the branches above were a troop 
of young linnets, hopping and flitting from spray to spray, I 
incessaTitly in motion, and gleaming in the sunshine, or disap- j 
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