Clingingtoalimetreeboughinthegarden, with heavy wet snowflakes falling all about him,alittletitpecksatthebarktogetatthe insects or eggs beneath it. The bitter winds and snow have in no way abated his energy; heisasbusyandrestlessasinthemiddleofa summer’s day. The bark shows signs of damageforanareaofaroundfiveorsixinches square, not just from this bird, but from the successiveeffortsofmanyvisitors;andthere areseveralothersmallboughshereandthere among the limes which have had their bark completelystripped. Theirlittlebeaksdon’t seemcapableofcausingallthisdamage;but thecontinualtap,tap,tapgraduallyloosens the bark, which is probably already partly decayedandhollowed.

Nothing escapes a bird’s eye and it’s almost impossible for insects to hide themselves or their eggs from eyes as sharp as these. The smallest hole in the bark, the tiniest chink; every corner, every shrivelled up leaf still clingingtothebranchorlyingontheground, these birds see under or round everything. Most of those that escape being eaten are savedsimplybytheirgoodluckinhidingin inaccessible places rather than being completely concealed from sight. The various tits are almost tiny woodpeckers, though they don’t of course technically belongtothatfamily. Theydon’tdrillholes, perhaps because their beaks aren’t strong enough,butinalmosteveryotherrespectthey behaveaswoodpeckersdo.