224 
THE BLUE TITMOUSE. 
downwards (to my no small delight and admiration) draw straws lengthwise from out the eaves 
of thatched houses, in order to pull out the flies that were concealed between them ; and 
that in such numbers that they quite defaced the thatch, and gave it a ragged appear- 
ance.” In very severe winters, the birds will even carry away the barley and oat straws from 
the ricks. 
The little Blue Titmouse is one of the most familiar birds of Europe, as it is widely 
spread throughout the land, and is of so bold a nature that it exhibits itself fearlessly to any 
observer. 
In many of its habits it resembles the last-mentioned species, but it nevertheless possesses 
a very marked character, and has peculiarities which are all its own. As it trips glancingly 
over the branches, it hardly looks like a bird, for its quick limbs and strong claws carry it 
over the twigs with such rapidity that it resembles a blue mouse rather than one of the 
feathered tribe. Being almost exclusively an insect-eating bird, and a most voracious little 
creature, it renders invaluable service to the agriculturist and the gardener by discovering and 
destroying the insects which crowd upon the trees and plants in the early days of spring, and 
which, if not removed, would effectually injure a very large proportion of the fruit and pro- 
duce. In the course of a single day a pair of blue Titmice were seen to visit their nest four 
hundred and seventy -five times, never bringing less than one large caterpillar, and generally 
two or three small ones. These birds, therefore, destroyed, on the average, upwards of five 
hundred caterpillars daily, being a minimum of fifteen thousand during the few weeks employed 
in rearing their young. 
While searching for insects, the Blue Titmouse often bites away the buds of fruit-trees, 
together with pears and apples, but in almost every case it seeks to devour, not the fruit, 
but a maggot which lies concealed within it, and which, if not destroyed, w T ould not only 
injure the particular fruit, but would also destroy many others by means of its future 
progeny. The food of this bird is of a most multifarious character, for the Blue Titmouse has 
been known to eat eggs, other birds which it kill s when young or disabled, meat of various 
kinds, for which it always haunts the knackers’ yards and country slaughter-houses, peas, 
oats, and the various kinds of food which are to be found in farm-yards. So fond is it of fat 
meat, that a piece of beef suet is an unfailing bait which always succeeds in attracting the 
Titmouse into the jaws of the trap. It has even been known to peck holes in hens’ eggs, 
for the purpose of eating the contents ; but on account of the large size of the eggs, it was not 
able to attain its purpose. I have even seen the Titmice unite against a tame hawk which 
I kept, assault him simultaneously, and carry off the piece of meat which had just been 
given to him. 
It is a very pugnacious little bird, and is always ready for a combat with any one of its 
own kind. But in the breeding season its combative character is developed to the fullest extent, 
and the tiny blue creature will boldly attack a man if he should happen to approach too near 
the nest. Should the position of the nest be discovered, and the hand inserted in order to feel 
for the eggs, the mother-bird utters a sharp, angry hiss, and bites so sharply at- the intruding 
fingers that they are generally hastily withdrawn, under the impression that a viper has been 
the hidden aggressor. Small as is the bird, her beak is so sharp and strong that it can cause 
considerable pain, and has earned for the bird the provincial name of Billy Biter. I once got 
the tips of my fingers sadly maltreated by a female Titmouse, while I was trying to feel the 
position of the eggs. 
The nest of this species may be found in the most extraordinary localities, such as hollow 
trees, holes in old walls, the interior of disused spouts, sides of gravel-pits, the hat of a scare- 
crow, the inside of a porcelain jar, or the cylinder of a pump. One bird had actually chosen 
a bee-hive as its residence, and had succeeded in building its nest and rearing its young while 
surrounded by the bees going to and returning from their work. Another Titmouse contrived 
to get into a weathercock on the summit of a spire, and there made its nest in security. The 
eggs are small and rather numerous, being generally about eight or ten, but sometimes exceed- 
ing the latter number. 
I 
