LONG-TAILED MUFFLIN. 459 



Wood-Pigeon, Rook, and Partridge ; but there are also feathers 

 of the breast of the Missel Thrush, of the Yellow Bunting, and 

 of several other birds. For this nest I am indebted to Mr 

 Carfrae. 



Another now before me is much smaller, being five inches 

 and a half in length, and three and a quarter in its transverse 

 diameter. The aperture, which is near the top, is elliptical, 

 an inch and ten twelfths across, and an inch in height. The 

 walls are formed of moss felted with wool, covered externally 

 with grey lichens held down by hairs and delicate filaments, 

 and profusely lined with feathers. 



The following interesting account of the construction of a 

 nest of this bird I have just received from Mr Weir. 



" Boghead, 11th May 1839. — About seven o'clock, on Satur- 

 day morning, the 20th of April, I had the pleasure of observing 

 a pair of these active and interesting little birds, the Long- 

 tailed Titmice, lay the foundation of their nest, in the cleft of 

 an old ash-tree, at the distance of about fifty yards from my 

 garden. Before they commenced their operations they flew in 

 and out again and again, and examined the situation with the 

 greatest attention. The under part of their abode was con- 

 structed with mosses, and the sides with small portions of the 

 white and grey tree lichens, fine green mosses, some feathers, 

 and a few leaves of the beech tree, beautifully intermixed and 

 firmly interwoven with wool and the webs of spiders' eggs. 

 To give these materials the requisite solidity, they pressed 

 them down with their breasts and the shoulders of their wings, 

 and turned their bodies round upon them in all directions. 

 When I first began to observe their motions, they seemed to 

 be much displeased, and set up a strong clicking noise not un- 

 like that of the Stonechat ; but they soon became so tame that, 

 although I placed myself at no great distance from them, my 

 presence gave them but little annoyance. When the male was 

 at work, the female usually remained upon a branch of the 

 tree, about a foot from the nest, until he was done ; she then 

 went in, her partner remaining at the outside until she had 

 completed her task. They then flew off together in search of 

 materials, sometimes to a considerable distance, flitting through 

 the air with the rapidity of an arrow. 



