I can't get the attr('title')

I can't get the attr('title')

I have the following select:

  1. <select name="country_phone" id="country_phone">
                <option value="">&nbsp;</option>
                                <option title="+93" value="AF" >Afghanistan</option>
                                <option title="+355" value="AL" >Albania</option>
                                <option title="+213" value="DZ" >Algeria</option>

                                <option title="+1684" value="AS" >American Samoa</option>
                                <option title="+376" value="AD" >Andorra</option>
                                <option title="+244" value="AO" >Angola</option>
                                <option title="+1264" value="AI" >Anguilla</option>
                                <option title="+672" value="AQ" >Antarctica</option>
                                <option title="+1268" value="AG" >Antigua and Barbuda</option>










  2. </select>
If I now try to use:

  1.         $('#country_phone').change(function() {
                alert($(this).val());
                $('#countryPhoneContainer').html($(this).attr('title'));
            });


The 1st alert outputs the correct value of the selected item, but $(this).attr('title') is empty. It's also empty if I alert() it. Why ???

Thanks for help!