312 BRITISH BIBDS' NESTS. 



Bemarls. — Resident. Notes, a sharp cliinup 

 or twitter, varied by a lower and hoarser note. 

 Local and other names : Mufflin, Poke Pudding, 

 Longpod, Bottle Tit, Oven-builder, Caper Long- 

 tail, Long-tail Pie, Long-tailed Capon, Bottle Tom, 

 Mum Euffin, Long-tailed Mag, Huckmuck (a name 

 also applied to the Willow Warbler), Longtailed 

 Mufflin, etc. Sits closely, with the tip of her tail 

 protruding from the hole. 



TIT, MARSH. 



Descrii^tion of Parent Birds. — Length about four 

 and a half inches. Bill short, straight, sharp-pointed, 

 and black. Irides dark hazel. Forehead, crown, 

 and nape deep black. Back, wing-coverts, and upper 

 tail-coverts ashy browm, mixed with a greenish 

 tint. Wing and tail-quills greyish-brown, with 

 edges of a lighter tinge. Cheeks dirty white ; chin 

 black ; throat and breast dull greyish-white ; belly 

 and vent of the same colour, tinged with brown. 

 Legs, toes, and claws bluish-black. 



The female is similar in appearance to the male. 

 The bird may be easily distinguished from the Coal 

 Tit by its having no white on the nape or wing- 

 coverts. 



Situation and Local it /j. — Holes in trees, preferably 

 pollards, gate-posts, walls, and banks, at no great 

 height from the ground. Instances are on record 

 of rabbit-buiTOws and rat-holes doing duty as nesting 

 sites. In orchards, woods, by the side of sluggish 

 rivers, and in hedgerows of cultivated districts. 

 It is met w^ith in most parts of England, suitable 

 to its habits. Scotland and Ireland can both claim 



