parus ater. 333 



The Cole-Tit. 



(Par us Ater.) Linn. 



" Ready as the tuneful notes 

 That stream in blithe succession from the throats 



Of birds, in leafy bower, 

 Warbling a farewell to a vernal shower." — Wordsworth. 



Except the gold-crested wren and the long-tailed tit, this is 

 the smallest of our British birds, but what it wants in size it 

 makes up in activity and noise ; for, when its clear, loud 

 clieeka, eheeJca, cheeka, chee is heard in the hushed silence of 

 some old fir wood, no one would think the notes came from 

 such a tiny pipe. It also is a native, and has all the habits of 

 the rest. In plumage it is like the greater tit. Its black 

 head, white cheeks, and general colour make it a little fac- 

 simile of the head of the family. It makes its nest in the 

 rotten stumps and holes of trees — deeper down than the rest — 

 in fact, prefers a subterraneous nursery — sometimes utilising a 

 rat's or mouse's hole. It breeds about the same time as the 

 rest. I have got both eggs and young of nearly all the tits 

 at the same time, often in the same woods. This one prefers 

 old fir woods ; the old fir park on Tentsmuir is a favourite 

 habitation. The end of April or first of May is the best time 

 for their eggs ; I have got them on the 19th April. On June 

 7th, 1861, I got two nests in the trunks of birch trees in the 

 old fir park, near the roots ; the entrance holes were only an 

 inch in diameter. One of them was nine inches into the tree. 

 I saw the bird pop out or I could not have got it. I dug away 

 the moss, rotten wood, and earth ; there were nine ripe young 

 ones in it. On putting in my hand five flew out, the rest also 

 came out and scampered away. The other nest had eight, also 

 nearly ripe. They, too, scrambled out of the hole, half ran, 

 half flew away — they would not stay in the nest after I 

 disturbed them. I let them all away ; they were very pretty, 

 light blue and yellow. The first nest was composed of moss, 

 rabbits' fur, and three white feathers — the other had more fur. 

 They are partial to fur when near a warren like Tentsmuir. 

 These nests were easily found, for the old birds popped in and 



