Some years ago, when my brother and myself were seekers of birds'
nests, we found one of the Long-tailed Titmouse (_Parus
caudatus_), about two miles from home, containing young ones half-
fledged. Being anxious to rear them, we hit upon the plan of
catching the old ones, and giving them the trouble instead of
ourselves. We accordingly set lime-twigs near the nest, and caught
six old ones out of the seven of which the colony consisted, and
brought them away in triumph; but the old ones would not eat in
confinement, and all died but one, which we allowed to escape, in
the hope that it would come back and rear the young ones. This it
did, and by the most unwearied exertion reared the whole brood,
sometimes feeding them ten times in a minute.
Never having seen this social habit stated in any ornithological
work to which I have access, I am not aware that it is generally
known to naturalists; but it is right to state that I have only
found one nest of the species since, and this my avocations would
not permit me to examine. I am therefore not aware whether the
fact I have stated was an exception to the general habit of the
bird, or whether such is invariably the case. Some of your
correspondents will, no doubt, be able to give an answer to this
inquiry.
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