138 llovd's natural history. 



Parus britannicus, Sharpe and Dresser, P>. Eur., iii., p. 93, pi. 

 107, fig. 2 (1S72); B. O. U. List Br. B., p. 26 (1NS3); 

 Seeb., Brit. B., i., p. 472 (1SS3); Wyatt, Brit 13., pi. 4, 



fig- 3 (1S94). 

 Adult Mais. — Similar to P. afcr, but distinguished by the 

 olive-brown, instead of slaty-blue, back, and by the richer buff- 

 colour of the sides of the body. Total length, 3-9 inches ; 

 culmen, 0*4 ; wing, 2*35 ; tail, 1-65 ; tarsus, 0-65. 



Adult Female. — Similar to the male in colour. Total length, 

 3 -8 inches; wing, 2-35. 



Youn? — Differs from the adult exactly as the young of P. 

 ater differs from the adults, having the white parts of the plu- 

 mage pale sulphur-yellow. 



Note. — Like the Great Tit, the present species has a black head, a white 

 nape-patch, white cheeks, and a black throat. It may, however, always 

 be distinguished from that species by its much smaller size and plain- 

 coloured breast, the under surface not being yellow as in the Great Tit, nor 

 has it the very evident black band down the centre of the breast and 

 abdomen. 



Range iu Great Britain. — Found nearly everywhere, but in most 

 places not so plentiful as the other species of British Tits. It 

 is met with especially in Scotland, as far north as Sutherland- 

 shire and Caithness, but is not found in the Outer Hebrides, 

 nor in the Shetland or Orkney Isles. 



Habits. — In most parts of England the Coal-Tit is a rare 

 bird, or at least is not so often noticed as the other species. 

 Since the severe winter of 1SS1 there are many places, where 

 the Coal-Tit was comparatively plentiful, which know it no 

 more, whereas in the same districts the Marsh-Tit has increased 

 in numbers. Near London the latter bird is not often seen, 

 but Coal-Tits frequent our garden at Chiswick every winter, 

 and share the food which we supply for Tits in general. In 

 the pine-woods of Scotland, however, the Coal-Tit is a com- 

 mon species, and its call-note is often heard, without which 

 s'_ f nal it would be easy to pass the bird over, as it is not only 

 of such small size as to escape observation, but it frequents the 

 thickest woods and is not easily sen. I )ccasionally it comes 

 to the outside of a fir-tree, when it may be observed hanging 

 n^ to n cone and extracting Us food. As is the case with most 



