TO M- TIT S.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—Apropos of your most interesting article, "A Study of Titmice," in the Spectator of February 17th, I should like to put before your readers the pleasure there is to be obtained by making pets of these beautiful little birds. Of all our English birds—not even excluding the starling and jackdaw —they are the most diverting companions, and the charm of their manners is perfect. A pair of small blue-tits built a nest last spring in a hole in the wall of my gateway, and hatched out nine fluffy little mites. Notwithstanding the abundance of insects of that season of drought, the happy pair had all their work before them to keep the little brood going.
The gate-keeper having secured four of the little fellows, when they were well fledged, placed them in a cage near the nest. The parents kept up their duties of feeding the four prisoners concurrently with those of their brothers in the nest, and when they were old enough to feed themselves, left them to our tender mercies, apparently without misgiving. Unfor- tunately, one day while they were being fed, the cage-door was left open, and three of the four little captives escaped.
The survivor grew to days of discretion, and many were the
conferences held between him and his freer brethren while clinging to the bars of his cage, as it hung against the wall. This little fellow was one of the merriest and most sociable of companions possible. He sang his unobtrusive song in a modest undertone, and chatted and scolded to himself through- out the day. He took his gymnastic exercise regularly in the most fantastic performances, and was always ready to talk to any one who would stop to give him a word. He learne&to come to a particular corner of his cage for a fly or a piece of meat, which he would take from the hand without the least appearance of fear.
He had all the good qualities of a pet bird. Pretty to look at, full of sprightly activity, always cheerful, and pleased to see you, while keeping up a running conversation of friendly confidences. The death of my little friend was a sad one,— through the carelessness of a new attendant, whose instincts. must have been inferior to those of her little charge ; she hung his food-tin outside instead of inside his cage, and poor Toro was no more.
Previous page
