THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 19 



which laid her eggs in a nest of the Hedge Sparrow, 

 from which the rio-htful tenant's eg-crs had been re- 

 moved. In autumn, the Bhie Tit is more widely 

 distributed than in the breeding season, and if 

 encouraged, individual pairs will haunt a backyard 

 year after year, arriving in September and retiring 

 to breed in spring, but constantly feeding on scraps 

 and picking bones in the interval. The colour of 

 the Blue Tit becomes much intensified in early 

 spring. 



Family SITTID^. 

 Genus S I T T A . 



S. Ccesia. Nuthatch.* 



The Nuthatch may possibly prove to be an oc- 

 casional visitant, but the only satisfactory occurrence 

 dates back to 1782, when Dr. Heysham received 

 one of a pair of Nuthatches from Armathwaite 

 (where they were probably nesting) on May 11th. 

 The late Mr. Robson refers the species to Wythop 

 woods, but adduces no evidence (Zool., 1854, 

 p. 4168). 



Family TROGLODYTIDiE. 



Genus TROGLODYTES. 



T. Parvulus. Wren. 



The Wren is a generally distributed resident. 

 Its numbers were much reduced by the severe 

 winters 1879-81, but the species has since recovered 

 its former proportions. 



