174 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



including wing-coverts and part of tail, bluisli 

 slate-grey. Wing-qnills dusky, margined on tlie 

 outer webs with blue. Tail-quills, excepting those 

 mentioned above, black, tipped with grey, and 

 marked on either side with white. A black streak 

 passes from the base of the bill to each eye, and 

 thence down the side of the neck. Sides of head 

 and chin white ; throat, breast, and belly bull" ; 

 sides and thighs dark rust-colour or chestnut ; vent 

 white, marked with rust-colour. Legs, toes, and 

 claws light brown, inclining to yellowish. 



The female is lighter coloured on her under-parts. 



Situation and LoeaUtij. — In a hole in the trunk 

 or strong branch of a tree, old stumps, and occasion- 

 ally in a hayrick or wall ; at varying depths of 

 from three or four to twelve or fifteen inches. In 

 the south and midlands of England, also Wales ; 

 rarely met with in Scotland and never in Ireland. 



Materials. — Leaves, flakes of bark, dry grass, 

 and sometimes chips and debris when the bird is 

 obliged to enlarge the situation selected. The 

 bird has tlie peculiar habit of plastering up the 

 approach to its nest with clay if there be more 

 room than is necessary for its admission. 



Eggs. — Five to eight or nine ; pure white, spotted 

 with reddish-brown ; sometimes blotched, the mark- 

 ings varying in distribution. If care is not exercised 

 the eggs are likely to be mistaken for those of the 

 Great Titmouse, but the character of the nest will 

 readily settle the point. Size about "8 by "57 in. 



Time. — April, May, June, and July. 



JRemarlis. — Resident. Notes: call, loliit, irhit, 

 iv/iit ; sometimes represented as twi-twit, twi-twit. 

 Local and other names : Woodcracker, Nutjobber, 

 Jarbird, Nuthack, Mudstopper. Sits very closely, 

 and hisses like a snake when disturbed. 



