68 Bird-Song : and New Zealand Song Birds 
Family: Paridae 
To this family belong the various species of titmouse in 
Britain, all permanent residents, and there may be objection to 
including these amongst the songsters. Wood says (WN, pp. 
32-3)—“There are not many birds whose notes are unpleasing 
to me, but the Great Titmouse is one of them. It has no song, 
and scarcely varies its notes, continuing to utter its monotonous 
cry ‘chee-chee-chee-chee’ without cessation”; and Yarrell (YII, 
Vol. 1, p. 480) whilst he says it has a song, admits that it “is 
more remarkable for cheerfulness and frequent repetition than 
for quality of tone”; he also says that some of the notes are 
harsh, resembling the sharpening of a saw. White says (WS, 
p. 188) that “the titmouse, which early in February begins to 
make two quaint notes, like the whetting of a saw, is the marsh- 
titmouse; the great titmouse sings with three cheerful joyous 
notes, and begins about the same time ”; on which White "s 
editor, Sir William Jardine, notes that “it is undoubtedly the 
great titmouse that whets like a saw. I have watched it for a 
quarter of an hour together; it has also cheerful notes. 
Mudie (MF, Vol. 1, p. 391) has a higher opinion of the bird's 
song. “The great tit,” says he, “has a chattering rather than 
a singing voice; but it has considerable flexibility of utterance. 
As it hunts in the trees, its chatter, though not loud, is harsh 
and grating, resembling that which is produced by the filing 
of iron; but in the pairing time it has a note not very dissimilar 
to that of the chaffinch; and the alternation of the note with 
the chatter, makes a sort of rude song, but that song continues 
only for a short time.” This estimation of the song differs 
considerably from Wood’s; but when the remarks of Bechstein 
(BC, p. 446) are read, the difference is yet more extraordinary. 
“These birds are recommended.” says he, “not only by 
their beauty, activity, and cheerful disposition, but also by 
their varied and exceedingly melodious song, which consists 
of the frequent repetition of the syllables, Si, -tzi, -da. Si, -tzi, 
