82 



THE OOLOGIST 



black; ear coverts, sides of neck and 

 nape white; back greyish; wings grey- 

 ish with two white cross bars; tail 

 smoky grey: underparts yellowish 

 white. Length four and one-half 

 inches. Resident. 



Although the Coal Tit is said to be 

 widely distributed throughout Switzer- 

 land, it does not appear to be at all 

 common. While one may see great 

 numbers of Great Tits in a single day 

 here at Vevey, the coal Tit seldom 

 makes his appearance. It also dif- 

 fers somewhat in its habits from the 

 other species of the same family, of- 

 ten remaining on the ground for long 

 periods at a time as if the thought 

 had never occurred to it that there 

 might be plenty of insect food in the 

 bark crevices of the surrounding trees. 

 In fact, I believe that during the win- 

 ter the Coal Tit eats a great many 

 more seeds than insects. 



In the spring the majority of these 

 birds retire to the more heavily wood- 

 ed mountainous districts to carry on 

 the duties so important to their vital- 

 ity. 



The nest is placed in a crevice or 

 a hole in a tree and it is composed al- 

 most entirely of moss and plant 

 fibers. The six or seven eggs are al- 

 most exactly like those of our Chica- 

 dee, both in size and dimensions, but 

 the reddish spots are perhaps gener- 

 ally more numerous on the eggs of 

 this little foreigner. 



As you enter the spruce groves on 

 the numerous mountains which sur- 

 round Vevey, a short, acute, but musi- 

 cal tinkling will occasionally greet 

 the ear and you know that you have 

 found the Coal Tit at home. His two 

 bright eyes are intent upon every 

 movement, but stand motionless for a 

 minute and the owner of these bright 

 eyes will soon consider you a harm- 

 less lunatic; regain lost confidence 

 and go on unconcernedly about his 



business, shouting his merry tinkling 

 song and seizing every luckless seed 

 or insect which happens in his hun- 

 gry path. 



Parus coerulens; Blue Titmouse. 

 Crown blue; sides of head white di- 

 vided by a blackish line from the base 

 of the bill, across the eye to the back 

 of the head, and enclosed by a heavier 

 dark band looped from the nape to 

 the chin ; back of head and nape bright 

 blue; back olive green; tail an<i wings 

 bright blue, the latter with an indis- 

 tinct greyish white cross bar. Length 

 four and one-half inches. Resident. 



To me the Blue or Tom Tit, as it is 

 frequently called is one of the most 

 beautiful of all European birds. His 

 clean cut lines and flashy colors re- 

 mind one more of a jewel than a bird 

 as he flits here and there among the 

 trees, performing all kinds of acro- 

 batic feats and peering into every 

 nook and crevice in a tireless and 

 endless search for food. Everyone 

 puts up little wooden houses or cocoa- 

 nut shells for these little birds and 

 there are few country gardens which 

 do not have their tit families in the 

 spring time. 



They are sociable birds, often roam- 

 ing about during the fall and winter 

 in company with other tits, nuthat- 

 ches or creepers. The Blue Tit's song 

 is a metallic "Sing! Sing! siiiing!" 

 repeated at very short intervals and 

 often followed by a sharp "Ping! 

 Ping!" The nests are like those of 

 the last species, but they sometimes 

 lay as many as eleven eggs! this be- 

 ing the case of a pair whose nest is 

 in the Museum of Natural History 

 here at Vevey. 



Parus cristatus; Crested Titmouse. 

 Back, rump and tail coverts reddish 

 brown; lower parts white, tinged with 

 buff, sides of neck and face white; 

 throat and chin black; collar and a 

 semi-circular patch behind the ear 



