136 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



In the oak-woods of Gbardimaou and El Fedja in North Tunisia, 

 where Q. mirbeckii and Q. suher are the principal forest-trees, as also 

 at Ain-Draham further north, this species is to be found at all seasons, 

 and nests there between the months of April and June. In its choice 

 of habitat and in its habits it differs in no way from birds of the same 

 species found in Europe, frequenting woods and plantations, where in 

 spring it is usually to be seen in pairs, and at other seasons in small 

 parties, roaming about from tree to tree. Its food is mainly of an 

 insect nature, but seeds and berries are also eaten, particularly the 

 hard seeds of firs and other conifers. Fruit gardens and orchards are 

 visited at times, but whether for the sake of the fruit and fruit- 

 buds, or for the grubs which the latter may contain, does not appear 

 to be clearly established. It is an undoubted fact, however, that both 

 the Great Tit and the Blue Tit sometimes eat fruit, and damage con- 

 siderably more than they actually eat by pecking at it. Young peas 

 also are much eaten by these Tits, which, to get at the pods, will even 

 creep through the meshes of the netting spread over the plants to pro- 

 tect them. The present species will also occasionally attack and kill 

 small, weakly birds and feed, it is said, upon their brains. 



The song of this Tit is powerful, but rather metallic. It can be 

 heard from a considerable distance. Its call note is a subdued 

 " zwee." When in parties the birds are sometimes very noisy and 

 quarrelsome. The nest of the species is placed in the hole of a tree 

 or wall, and is rather a voluminous structure, composed chiefly of 

 moss, lined abundantly with wool or hair. I once found a Great Tit's 

 nest, which was composed entirely of donkey's hair, closely felted 

 together. It appears that one of these animals had recently been 

 clipped in the immediate vicinity of the site chosen for the nest. I 

 have no eggs of the Great Tit from Tunisia, but European eggs vary 

 from six to eight in number, and are whitish, speckled with pale red. 

 Average measurements 18 x 14 mm. 



