332 THE MARSH TIT. 



The Marsh Tit. 



( Par us Palustris.) Linn. 



" Now in her green mantle blithe nature arrays, 

 And listens the lambkins that bleat o'er the braes, 

 While birds warble welcome in ilka green shaw ; 

 But to me it's delightless, my Nannie's awa ! " — Bums. 



Like the rest of the tits this one remains with us all year, has 

 the same active habits, and also feeds on insects and larvae, corn 

 or carrion • rIso breeds in the holes of trees, chiefly willows. 

 Tne ntjsb is made of moss, dry grass, and lined with the down of 

 the catkins instead of hair and feathers. Eggs, from six to 

 eight, a little larger and rounder than the blue-tit's, red-spotted 

 the same, chiefly at the larger end. The eggs of the tit and 

 willow wren resemble each other, and are difficult to be 

 distinguished when mingled. Although a marsh and willow 

 frequenter it is not confined to these, but is to be found broad- 

 cast on the driest ground ; it prefers the marshy, wooded 

 margins of streams and lakes, where it finds an abundant supply 

 of food amongst the decayed branches and trunks of willows, as 

 the others do in larger woods. Although not so abundant 

 about St Andrews as the blue tit, it is found in all suitable 

 localities, but being plainer dressed it often escapes observation. 

 It has the sharp notes of the greater tit and the cole-tit, but not 

 so loud and distinct ; instead of the three cheerful notes it makes 

 two rasping notes — like a file sharping a saw, which it begins in 

 February and March. It is easily known from the blue tit by 

 having a black instead of a blue head, and also from the cole-tit 

 by the want of the white cheeks. It is a little larger than 

 either, but not so large as the greater tit — it is 4^ by 7 h inches. 

 Its head and throat are brownish-black, with a broad patch of 

 greyish-Tvhice on the cheeks and sides of the neck ; back, greyish- 

 brown ; underparts, brownish-yellow ; bill, black ; iris, brown ; 

 legs, bluish-grey — a plain sombre-like bird compared to the 

 blue tit. 



