70 OUR RARER BIRDS 



on the larger end. Eggs of the Marsh Titmouse so closely 

 resemble those of the Coal Titmouse and the Blue Titmouse 

 that they cannot safely be distinguished. The only sure way 

 is carefully to identify the old birds at or on the nest before 

 taking^ the eofo^s. The Marsh Titmouse sits close, and often 

 allows you to break away the soft wood which contains her 

 home and expose it fully to view without making the least 

 attempt to escape. The old birds are extremely careful not 

 to betray the whereabouts of their nest, often hopping about 

 for hours without once visiting it if they know they are being 

 watched. When the hand is inserted in the nest -hole the 

 sitting-bird conmiences to hiss in quite an alarming way, and 

 it will bite and snap vigorously at the fingers when it is taken 

 from its eggs. But one brood is reared in the year, although 

 other eggs will be laid in most cases if the first lot is taken. 

 I have known these birds go on laying egg after ^gg in the 

 same hole just as regularly as they were removed. The Blue 

 Titmouse and the Starling will do the same. 



The broods of Marsh Titmice and their parents do not 

 appear to keep company during the winter. As far as I can 

 learn, the little party breaks up when the young birds can 

 manage for themselves, and I generally see this species either 

 solitary, in pairs, or less frequently in company with Coal Tit- 

 mice and even with Xuthatches. 



It should be mentioned that the Marsh Titmouse — in fact 

 all the British species of this family of birds are residents in 

 this country. Our indigenous birds may be slightly increased 

 in numbers by wandering Titmice from more northern lands, 

 driven southw^ards by inclement weather, but the immigration 

 is unimportant and scarcely discernible. It is in winter that 

 the habits of the shy Marsh Titmouse are best observed ; in 

 summer when the leaves are on the trees he is often passed 

 by unnoticed. 



The Crested Titmouse {Parus cristatus) is the rarest of the 

 British Titmice, and only breeds in one or two favoured 



