195 



statement may be true in exceptional cases, though it is certainly not 

 the rule. The hen sits even more closely than P. major and makes use 

 of the same means to deter intruders. Incubation lasts 13 — 14 days 

 (W. Evans). When feeding their young the parents have been observed 

 to visit the nest 43 times in half an hour (Birds of Cheshire, p. 58). 



Average size of 100 British eggs measured by the writer, Measure- 

 15.34X11.89 mm., Max. 16.8x12 and 16.5x12.5, Min. 14x11.8 "''°*''- 

 and 14.3x11.2 mm. Dwarf eggs measure 9x7.4 (Durham, A. W. John- 

 son) and 9.7x8.5 (R. H. Read). Average weight of 20 eggs, 70.4 mg; 

 19 full eggs average 1.064 g. (N. H. Foster). 



b. Continental Blue Tit, P. eaeraleas caerulens L. 



Plate 20, fig. 5—8 (Germany). 



Eggs: Thienemann, Fortpfl. Tab. XVIII, fig. 3, a — c. Baedeker, 

 Tab. 43, fig. 11. 



Foreign Names: Bohemia: Modrinka. Denmark: Blaameise, 

 BlaaJcop. Finland: Sinitiiaine)i . France: Mesange hleue. Germany: Blau- 

 meise. Holland: Pimpehnees. Hungary: Kek czinege. Italy: Cinciarella. 

 Norway: Blaameise. Poland: Sikora modra. Portugal: Megengro. Russia: 

 Sinitschka lasorewka, Sweden: Blames. Spain: Hererrillo. 

 Pariis caeruleus L. Dresser, 1. c. (partim). P. caeruleus caeruleus L. 

 Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 347. 



Breeding Range: Continental Europe, from 64° in Scandinavia 

 and 60" in N. Russia, but Spanish birds closely approach the Corsican 

 and Sardinian form. 



This race is generally distributed over the greater part of the Conti- con- 

 nent, haunting chiefly deciduous woods on low ground, and becoming t»nentai 

 scarce in coniferous woods and in alpine regions. In Scandinavia its 

 northern limits extend in Sweden up to about lat. 61 '^N, and in Norway 

 along the W. Coast up to lat. 64°. In Russia it is not found N. of 

 lat. 60" in the E., but occurs in S. Finland and the Olonetz government, 

 and is said to have been obtained near Archangel. Southward its limits 

 extend to the Mediterranean, but probably the birds from the Iberian 

 peninsula will prove to belong to a distinct race. In Italy and to some 

 extent in Greece, it haunts the wooded mountain sides rather than the 

 plains, but is resident in Corfu and the Cyclades. [Also found in Asia 

 Minor and in Crete. 



In nesting habits it resembles P. caeruleus ohscuriis. Where holes are Nest. 

 scarce it has been known to breed in old Magpies', Crows' and Squirrels' 

 nests, and Bau found a nest in a Saud Martin's hole (J. f. Orii. 1871, 

 236), while Loverkiihn records one l)uilt over a deserted Hoopoes nest. 



13* 



