tlnental 

 Europe. 



200 



Parus ater L. Dresser, t. c (part.). P. ater ater L. Hartert, Vog. Pal. 

 Fauna, p. 356. 



Breeding Range: Continental Europe, except in the S. E. (Crimea 

 and S. Caucasus). 

 Con- This form is somewhat locally distributed over almost all Continental 



Europe, haunting coniferous forests almost np to the tree limit, and in 

 the southern part of its range avoiding the plains altogether during the 

 summer months. Along the W. coast of Scandinavia it is found breeding 

 up to the Arctic circle, but in Sweden does not range farther N. than 

 lat. 64". It is found in S. Finland, and has occurred N. of the Vologda 

 government, but only as a rare straggler. Southward it is met with 

 wherever extensive coniferous woods are found, as far as the Mediter- 

 ranean, and in Switzerland has been known to range as high as 5400 ft. 

 Neat. Similar to that of the British form. It is placed in a natural hole, 



sometimes in a deciduous tree at the edge of a pine forest, or, as holes 

 are scarce in conifers, in a mouse or mole run in the ground, and 

 occasionally in a wall. Collett found a deserted nest in a Sand Martin's 

 hole in Norway. 

 Egg8. The first clutch usually consists of 8 to 11 eggs, and the second of 



6 to 8; but 12, and on one occasion 14 (Baltic Provinces, J. v. Gernet) 

 have been recorded. They resemble those of P. a. hritannicus. 

 Breeding Two broods are frequently reared, except in subalpine districts. 



Season. Tj^^ere the season is later. In Germany from mid April onward and 

 towards the end of June, while in Scandinavia few eggs are laid before 

 the end of April and early May. Definite information from southern 

 Europe is scanty, but Kriiper obtained eggs in Greece from May 23 to 

 June 12 in the mountains. 

 Measure- Average of 105 eggs (55 by Bau, 44 by Rey and 6 by the writer, 



ments. from Mid-Europe) 14.77x11.60 mm., Max. 16.5x12.0, Min. 13.5x10.5 

 mm. Average weight, 63 mg. (Bau), 65 mg. (Rey). 



c. Sardinian Coal Tit, P. ater sardus Kleinsch. 



P. ater sardus Kleinschm. Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 358. 



Breeding Range: Sardinia. (Corsican birds apparently do not 

 belong to this race. Cf. Hartert t. c.) 



The resident Sardinian Coal Tit is confined to the mountain forests, 

 where it is scarce (Brooke). Apparently the Corsican bird is a late 

 breeder, as nests were still empty at the end of May. 



d. Cyprian Coal Tit, P. ater Cypriotes Dress. 

 P. Cypriotes Dress. Dresser, Birds of Europe, IX, p. 123 and Man. 

 Pal. Birds, p. 165. P. ater Cypriotes Dress. Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, 

 p. 359. 



