82 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



company with its mate for life ; probably it is the latter. 

 The nest is made amongst the vegetation of the marshes, 

 but never suspended from stems of reeds, like that of the 

 Reed Warbler. It is usually built under a tuft of sedge 

 or aquatic herbage, sometimes as much as a foot or 

 more from the ground, and invariably well concealed by 

 the overhanging and surrounding vegetation. Externally 

 it is made of dry grass, leaves, bits of reed, and other 

 scraps of withered aquatic vegetation ; internally, of 

 finer grass and the flowers of the reeds. It is loosely 

 put together, but neatly finished. The Bearded Tit- 

 mouse is a close sitter, and when flushed from the eggs 

 slips silently away and hides amongst the vegetation ; 

 but if the nest contain young the old birds become more 

 demonstrative. The Bearded Titmouse is not gregarious 

 during the breeding season, but as evidence of its social 

 tendencies during this period, it may be remarked that 

 two females have been said to occupy the same nest. 

 This species is evidently very prolific, as two females 

 (mated to one male), kept in confinement, laid forty-nine 

 eggs in about a couple of months ! 



Range of egg colouration and measurement : 

 The eggs of the Bearded Titmouse vary from five to 

 seven in number. They are creamy-white in ground 

 colour, marked with short irregular lines, and more 

 sparingly with specks of dark brown. They are subject 

 to little variation. Average measurement, 7 inch in 

 lengtli, by "55 inch in breadth. Incubation, performed 

 chiefly by the female, lasts fourteen days. 



Diagnostic characters : The size of and peculiar 

 streaky or line-like markings on the eggs of the Bearded 

 Titmouse distinguish them at a glance from those of 

 every other species breeding in the British Islands. 



