2 
14 The Birds of Pembrokeshire. 
noticed that all the species of Tit are greedily fond of the oily 
seeds of the sun-flower. One beautiful summer when we had 
quite a plantation of these gaudy blooms we observed numerous 
Tits apparently searching them, as we thought, for insects all 
day long, and, as we knew them to be full of earwigs, we con- 
sidered that they were hunting for these insects, and, like the 
Robins, regarded them as special dainties, but on looking 
closely at the flowers, we found that the seeds were what the little 
birds were coming for, nor did they cease to visit the plants 
as long as there was a single seed remaining. A pair of Marsh 
Tits once had their nest in a hole in a willow tree a few yards 
from our house. Standing close by the tree and keeping per- 
fectly still, we kept watch upon the Tits when they were feeding 
their young. Although we had our shoulder within a few inches 
of the entrance to their nest they passed in and out quite fear- 
lessly, one or other of the parent birds arriving about once a 
minute with food. The number of the young within, and the 
minuteness of each meal, some tiny spider or caterpillar, were 
the occasions of this frequency, and it also bore witness to the 
abundant supply of insect life close at hand. 
BLUE TIT, Parus ceruleus.—A common resident, to be seen in our 
shrubberies every day in the year. In severe weather these 
little birds seek shelter, coming boldly into our house or into the 
greenhouses. In the latter they did good service in hunting out 
spiders and aphides. 
NUTHATCH, Citta cesia.—Very rare in Pembrokeshire, where we 
never once saw it, and are doubtful if it can be classed among 
the resident birds. In his many years’ experience Mr. H. 
Mathias has never met with it. Mr. Dix omits it in his list. We 
think, therefore, Mr. Tracy was mistaken when he wrote that it 
was “tolerably common.” The only Pembrokeshire specimen 
of which we have knowledge is one that was shot by Baron de 
Riitzen’s gardener at Slebech, Sept. 7th, 1893 ; for this informa- 
tion we are indebted to Mr. F. Jeffreys, the Haverfordwest bird- 
