BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 73 



Coal vritmou6c. 



The Coal Titmouse {Parus ater, LinncTus ; Pants ater 

 Brita?uiicus, Sharpe and Dresser) is a cjenerally distributed, 

 though not very numerous, species throughout the British 

 Isles. It also is a resident in most parts of Europe, as 

 well as North -Western Asia. The adult has the head, 

 nape of the neck, and throat, glossy black ; cheeks, sides of 

 the neck, and a central spot in the nape, Nvhite ; back 

 and scapulars, greenish -brown, tinged with grey: rump, 

 yellowish-grey; wings, greyish-brown, margined with paler 

 brown ; the greater and lesser coverts, tipped with dull 

 white, forming two bars across the wings ; tail, greyish- 

 brown ; breast and abdomen, dull white ; flanks, buftish ; 

 irides, brown; bill, blackish; legs and feet, bluish -grey. 

 Length, about four inches. The female is similar to the 

 male. 



