I do, the hand of protection to be held out to this very interesting species. That it is nearly omni- 
vorous and certainly carnivorous we have abundant proofs ; for it will pick a chicken-bone as clean as 
a parrot would, and will strive for mastery over all birds weaker than itself, and, if successful, will kill and 
eat them, or at least that most vital part the brain. Young birds fall an easy prey to it ; and many 
are the instances recorded of its depredations among them. If placed in a cage Avith other small birds, 
it almost invariably kills them ; and sometimes weak individuals of its OAvn species have fallen victims. 
If shot at and only Avounded, it fights and defends itself Avith the spirit and boldness of an ancient 
Spartan. 
“ Its food,” says Macglllivray, “ consists of insects, pupee, larA’^ae, buds and seeds of a arious kinds, in search 
of Avhich it sometimes betakes itself to the ground. It is chiefly on trees, hoAA^ever, that it is to be seen; and 
there it hops and skips with great alacrity, manifesting a constant cheerfulness, standing and hanging in 
every variety of position, and continually fluttering about in search of food in the crevices of the bark, and 
among the buds and leaA’es. Its flight is usually short, being merely from tree to tree, and is performed by 
a continuous flutter of the Avings ; but when necessary it can accomplish an extended excursion, and then flies 
Avith considerable undulation. It is not particularly shy, but may be easily approached AAuthin shot, although 
it is rather more observant of Intruders upon its haunts than the other species of the genus, Avhich are re- 
markably inattentive to appearances of danger.” 
The sites chosen for nidlfication are extremely various, and often very singular ; for although the 
natural places for this purpose are a hole in a tree, a crevice in a rock, or an opening in a Avail, it freely 
enters a deserted room, and has been known to pass through a hole in a cupboard and make its nest on one 
of the shelves ; if a floAver-pot be turned topsy-turvy, it is just as likely to select the interior for the situation 
of its future nest. Such sites, and the story of the pump, have been many times recorded in ornithological 
works : and I am sure they are all true ; for I haA C myself seen a Tit’s nest in the box and close to the 
])iston-rod of a constantly used pump, the female sitting on Avhlch alloAved the top to be taken off 
AAUthout CAuncing fear or distrust, that I might have an opportunity of witnessing the fact. This occurred 
at Preston Hall, in Kent ; and the keeper in Avhose garden the pump AA^as situated told me it was the 
third time the bird had nested there, and that tAA^o broods had been hatched in this remarkable situation. 
I have also frequently seen the Great Tits build within the deserted nests of the Jay, Magj)ie, and other 
large birds. 
The sexes of the Great Tit are similarly coloured ; but the markings of the female are someAvhat 
less bold, and her tints are not quite so bright. The young, Avhen leaving the nest, although bearing a general 
resemblance to the adults, have the VAdiite of the cheeks strongly tinged Avith yellow, as is the case with 
the young of the Coal and Blue Tits, but not of the Marsh-Tit, Avhich belongs to another section of the 
ParidcB — the one to Avhich the generic term Pcecile has been given. 
The eggs are six or eight in number, very beautifully spotted Avith red on a Avhite ground, and 
so nearly resemble those of the Nuthatch as not to be easily distinguished. The nest is sometimes 
composed of a quantity of compacted moss, feathers, hair, and other materials, but more generally of 
thickly matted rabbit-hair and avooI, intermingled with green moss. 
The Plate represents a male and a female, of the natural size, on a branch of a species of poplar, 
gathered when it was loaded with catkins, in Ravensbury Park, the seat of G. P. Bidder, Esq., at Mitcham. 
