46 BLACK-HEADED BIRDS. 



Blue Tit, it shares the soberer garb of tlie Coal-Tit ; 

 but, while the prevailing tone in the colour of the 

 back of the Coal-Tit is gray, in the Marsh-Tit it is 

 brown. Like the Coal-Tit, the Marsh-Tit is much less 

 numerous than either the Great or Blue Tit. It is, 

 however, in no particular seiise a denizen of marshes, 

 but frequents gardens, hedgerows, and woods, and 

 nests in cavities in tree-stumps and similar situations. 

 Its shrill, metallic note, eccentric posturings on the 

 branches, and its habit of roving in parties comprising 

 members of the Tit tribe, and of other clambering 

 species, such as Goldcrests, Redpolls, Tree-Creepers, and 

 Nuthatches, as well as its omnivorous character, are 

 traits common to all the Tits. It is a regular visitant 

 to our gardens in winter, but rarer than the other 

 Tits. 



COAL-TIT — 4^ inches ; smoke-gray on the back ; large 



white nape-patch. 

 BLUE TIT — 4^ inches; blue and green above; yellow below ; 



dark line through the eye, dividing the face. 

 GREAT TIT — 6 inches ; green and blue above ; yellow 



below ; bold black band down centre of breast. 



REED-BUNTING.— Plate 23. Length, 6 inches. 

 Head and throat black, bounded by a white collar ; 

 a moustachial streak, also white, from the base of the 

 bill to the collar ; upper parts ruddy-brown, mottled 

 with heavy black streaks along the feathers ; wings 

 and tail dark, outer tail-feathers edged with white ; 

 under parts white, with blackish streaks. Female: 

 of a generally browner colour, and lacking the black 

 head and the white collar and throat-bands of the 

 male, llesident. 



