2^6 BRITISH BIRDS® 
fucceffion of violent attitudes and rapid move- 
ments, which ftrongly mark the bitternefs of their 
rage: They will fometimes attack birds fmaller 
and weaker than themfelves, which they kill, and 
having picked a hole in the fkull, they eat out the 
brains.” The nefts'of moft of this kind are con- 
ftruCted with the moll exquifite art, and with ma- 
terials of the utmoft delicacy ; fome fpecies, with 
great fagacity, build them at the extreme end of 
fmall branches projecting over wat6r, by which 
means they are effectually fecured from the attacks 
of ferpents and the fmaller beafts of prey. Thefe 
birds are very widely fpread over every part of the 
old continent, from the northern parts of Europe 
to the Cape of Good Hope, as well as to the far- 
theft parts of India, China, and Japan ; they are 
likewife found throughout the vaft continent of 
America, and in feveral of the Weft India iflands; 
They are every where prolific, even to a proverb, 
laying a great number of eggs, which they attend 
with great folicitude, and provide for their numer- 
ous progeny with indefatigable activity. All the 
Titmice are diftinguilhed by ihort bills, which are 
conical, a little flattened at the fides, and very fharp 
pointed : The noftrils are fmall and round, and are 
generally covered by fhort briftly feathers, reflect- 
ed from the forehead ; the tongue feems as if cut 
off at the end, and terminated by fhort filaments ; 
the toes are divided to their origin ; the back toe 
is very large and ftrong. 
