LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE. 83 



Fan.ily PARID.'E. Genus Acrei.ula. 



Sub-family PARING.. 



LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE. 



ACREDULA CAUDATA ROSEA, BlytJl. 



Single Brooded generally. Laying season, April and May. 



British breeding area : The Long-tailed Titmouse 

 is pretty generally, if somewhat locally, distributed 

 throughout all districts suited to its requirements in 

 England and Wales. In Scotland it becomes rarer and 

 more local, owing to suitable localities not being so 

 numerous, although it breeds pretty generally in the 

 wooded districts, even extending to Islay and Sk}-e, in 

 which latter island I met with it some years ago. The 

 breeding range of this bird in Ireland is very imperfectly 

 defined, but extends, it is said, to most wooded areas. 



Breeding habits : The favourite breeding-grounds 

 of this Titmouse are plantations, woods, shrubberies, 

 commons covered with thicket and underwood, and tall 

 thick hedges on farm lands. It is also partial to an 

 orchard or a large garden, and, less frequently, extensive 

 gorse coverts. I am of opinion that the Long-tailed 

 Titmouse pairs for life ; and although the same nest is 

 not used annually, or in many cases not even the same 

 locality, the bird may be seen in pairs all throui;h the 

 year. Although gregarious to some extent during the 

 remainder of the year, there is no social tendency in the 

 breeding season. The nesting-site varies considerably, 

 both in situation and in altitude, sometimes being as low 

 as five feet from the ground, at others as much as fifty 

 feet above it. Almost every kind of bush or tree may 

 be selected, but preference is perhaps shown for those 

 of an evergreen nature. Firs, hollies, yews, and gorse 



