8 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 58. 



in the kg, fighting with a third, but never losing an oppor- 

 tunity for an inviting morsel. Finally they are mated and have 

 selected a knot-hole or a hole made by the carpenters of the 

 forest — the woodpeckers — or, as the convenient nesting sites 

 are growing fewer every year, take to some artificial bird box 

 hung by a friendly hand of the 'Deutscher Verein zuni 

 Schutze der Vogelwelt,' or even into the walls of a deserted 

 squirrel or magpie nest. 



Two broods of from eight to ten are reared every year. The 

 eggs of all the titmice species resemble one another in colora- 

 tion, the ground color being a white with reddish-brown and 

 rusty spots. However, they differ in measurements and in the 

 arrangement of the spots so that it is comparatively easy to 

 refer an egg to the species. The eggs of this species measure 

 16 by 12 millimeters. 



While the young are being fed the Crested Tit often visits 

 deciduous trees to gather the fat young caterpillars and does 

 not confine its efforts to the firs and pines only. The young, 

 when }ou come near to their habitaticn, will eye you with the 

 same curiosity as the old ones, will raise their crests just as 

 quickly and scold you just as emphatically. When the rigor- 

 ous frosts of early fall come thev grow restless and soon seek 

 the companionship of other titmice until we find the large 

 groups of birds which roam through the woods all winter. Such 

 groups are only occasionally disturbed by the swift and 

 furious attacks of the Sparrow Haw4< (Accipiter nisus). With 

 spring the round of life in families again begins. 



The Brown Cole Tit (Periparus ater) is another of the 

 lovers of the coniferous forests, though clinging more to the 

 pines than to the firs. Impudence, jollity, and an inclination 

 to quarrel are common traits of all tits, and this species is no 

 exception to the rule. While the notes of all titmice are 

 •similar a trained ear will know the various species at once. 

 The notes of this species might be rendered as a low 'sis sis 

 sis sisi.' 



This is another of the wholly beneficial species. It clears the 

 pines of insect pests, but also eats some seeds. 



