188 



find, but occasionally it is built into a natural recess, and is then in- 

 conspicuous. It is a solidly built edifice of mud, with chalk stones and 

 bits of dung in places, whose walls vary in thickness from i to Ih in., 

 somewhat irregular in shape, about 8 in. broad across the base and 

 about 24 in. in circumference The entrance, usually in the middle, is 

 funnel shaped, varying in extreme cases from 1 to 4 in. in length, but 

 generally about 2^ to 3i in. long, and having an opening about li in. 

 wide. Within these outer walls is placed a thick layer of some soft 

 material such as moss, goats' hair, feathers, thistledown, etc. The 

 exterior surface of the nest is roughened by indentations of the birds' 

 bills, and wing coverts of various species of beetles (Lydus, Chrysomela, etc.) 

 are often imbedded in the mud. 



^^^^' Usually 8 or 9, but occasionally 7 or even 10 in number. In colour 



they are pure white, in rare cases quite unmarked, but usually with rust 

 coloured blotches or spots, which are generally, more numerous towards 

 the big end. In shape they are very variable, and according to Reiser 

 great differences in shape have been noticed in the same clutch. As 

 a rule they possess more gloss than those of S. europaea. 



Breeding j^^ Grccce the breeding season extends from the end of March or 



Seaaon. _ " 



early in April to the second week in May, but most eggs are laid in 

 the first half of April. In Asia Minor it is rather later, most eggs being 

 laid in tJie latter half of April or the first days of May, while in the 

 Herzegovina the latter part of May is the usual time. Only one brood 

 is reared in the season, and often the same nest is occupied year after 

 year. When the eggs have been taken, if the damage is slight, the 

 birds will repair the nest and lay again in it a second or even a third 

 time, but on the other hand one pair has been known to construct two 

 nests in a season, only using one for breeding purposes. When incubating 

 the hen sits very closely and may easily be taken on the nest. 



Average of 100 eggs (49 by the writer, 33 by Rey, and 18 by Bau), 

 20.6X15.25 mm.. Max. 23x16.5, Min. 18.5x14.5 and 19x14.25 mm. 

 Seebohm states that the smallest eggs are scarcely larger than those 

 of the House Martin! Average weight according to Rey, 156 mg., but 

 Bau gives 164 mg. (varying from 148 to 175 mg.) as the average of 

 18 eggs. 



PARI DAE. 



89. Great Tit, Parus major L. 

 Geographical Races. 



a. British Great Tit, P. major newtoni Prai. 



Eggs: Hewitson, I Ed. I, pi. LXXXI, fig. 1, 2; II Ed. I, pi. 



Measure 

 ments. 



