[Illustration]
Parus palustris, LINNÆUS; La Mésange des marais, BUFFON; Der
Sumpfmeise, BECHSTEIN.
The length of this bird is four inches and a half, of which the tail
measures nearly two; the beak is four lines in length, and black; the
shanks are five lines high, and lead blue; the upper part of the head,
as far as the nape, is black; the temples and cheeks are white; the
upper part of the body is brownish grey; the throat is black.
The female has less black on the throat than the male.
HABITATION.--In their wild state, these birds, during the summer,
frequent groves and orchards; in winter, they assemble in flocks, and
when they move from place to place, always fly in a line one behind
the other[113].
In the house they should be allowed to flutter and hop about freely;
they are very delicate, and require a great deal of care at first.
FOOD.--When wild, they feed on insects, seeds, and elderberries,
according to the season.
In the house they eat the same things as other tits; but at first,
ants' eggs and elderberries must be added. The seeds of the sunflower
(_Helianthus major_) have succeeded best with me, and preserved them
in health longest. They will also eat hemp-seed and oats.
BREEDING.--They lay ten or twelve rusty white eggs, spotted with
reddish yellow, in a hole of a tree, on a bed of moss, hair, and
feathers.
MODE OF TAKING.--In winter they will easily enter a trap baited with
nut kernels or oats. A surer method is, to lay limed twigs on a
sunflower plant, the seeds of which are ripe. If these tits do not
enter the garden, a plant must be carried to a place much frequented
by them. When once these birds have tasted these seeds, they appear
quite contented in the house. It is only necessary to supply them
freely; they will seize them eagerly directly after being taken.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--Their pretty actions please, and their song is
sweet. They relieve it occasionally by a lively strain, "_diar, diar,
hitzi, ailtz, ailtz!_" which is their call in the pairing season.