100 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



The Kev. J. Peiiiberton Bartlett, in his Ornithology of 

 Kent, says it is "common." It has l)een obtained at 

 Boxley, generally at the foot of the hills, but is not 

 plentiful there, and it was seen in Mr. Lushington's 

 woods in March, 1868. It is rare in the Stourmouth 

 district, according to Mr. G. Dowker, and is noted by the 

 Kev. C. H. Fielding in the Birds of the Mailing Valley, 

 and at Bethersden by Captain J. D. Cameron. 



The Marsh-Tit is among the Birds Observed at Rain- 

 ham (1865), by Mr. W. H. Power, who says : " I noticed 

 several of these Tits during September. This species is 

 far more common than the Coal Tit, and next to the Blue 

 Tit is the most common of our local ParidcB." 



While insect-collecting in Mereworth Walk, a Marsh- 

 Tit was seen to come out from under a bank which the 

 heather overhung and had almost hidden. On careful 

 examination a beautiful nest of this bird was found 

 formed of moss and lined with feathers, fixed in the old 

 roots of the heather in the bank ; it contained six eggs. 



BLUE TITMOUSE. 



Parus ccenileus, Linnteiis. >S'.A^., i., p. 341 (1766). 



Tomtit. 



The Blue Tit is one of the best known and most 

 familiar of our Titmice, and the onl}^ one which makes 

 itself at home around the habitation of man. It is 

 plentifully distributed all over the county, not only in the 

 woods, but hedgerows and gardens, and it will take long 

 flights to isolated trees in search of food, and its lively, 

 mouse-like habits are always amusing. In severe weather 

 they will often come down and snatch a morsel of soft 

 food thrown out to the fowls and other birds. 



