216 



provinces it is common, while it is also recorded from Orlof and the 

 Perm government in N. Russia. The exact limits of its westward and 

 southward range in the breeding season cannot yet be clearly defined, 

 but it breeds in many districts in E. Germany, and also in Denmark, 

 and apparently is found also in Austro- Hungary. [Eastward its range 

 extends to Japan.] 

 Nest. Like that of the preceding race. An abnormal retort- shaped nest 



from Denmark is figured in Dresser's Birds of Europe. 

 Eggs. Accounts vary considerably as to the number usually laid: probably 



the first laying usually consists of 9 — 12 eggs and the second of 6 — 8, 

 while exceptionally clutches of 14 to 18 have been recorded. They do 

 not differ in appearance from those already described. 

 Breeding In E. Germany finished nests have occasionally been found in mid 



Season- j^arch, but usually laying begins about April 1, and full sets may be 

 taken from about April 10 to early May, and about a week later in the 

 Baltic Provinces and Scandinavia, while the second brood may be looked 

 for in Germany in June. 

 Measure- Avcragc sizc of 73 eggs from E. Germany (33 by Rey, 20 by Kollibay 



""'"*'■ and 20 by the writer) 13.95x10.91 mm., Max. 16x12, Min. 12.8x10.2 

 and 13x10 mm. Ottosson (in litt.) gives the average of 47 Scandinavian 

 eggs as 14.17X10.79 mm.. Max. 15.1x11.3 and 14.4x11.4, Min. 

 13.3 X 10.8 and 14.2 X 9.9 mm. Average weight, 51 mg. (Rey.) 



c. Continental Long tailed Tit, M. caudatas earopaeus (Herni.). 



Foreign Names: France: Mesange a longue queue. Holland: 

 Staartmees. Italy : Codihiignolo. Acr. caudata L. Dresser, I. c, part. Aeg. 

 caudatus eiiropaeus (Herm). Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 384. 



Breeding Range: N. and E. France, the Low Countries, W. 

 Germany, Switzerland, and the N. Italian and Balkan Peninsulas. 



Con- The breeding range of the difi"erent forms of Long tailed Tit in 



tinentai J^raucc nccds investigation, but it is probably this race which is found 

 in the eastern part of the country, except in the extreme S. It breeds 

 also in Holland and Belgium, and in W. Germany, Switzerland, N. Italy, 

 and the Danubian principalities, Bosnia, Servia, Rumania and Bulgaria. 

 Some individuals show much more white on the head than others, and 

 are only to be distinguished from Scandinavian birds by their smaller 

 size and shorter and more compact feathering. 

 Nest etc. In nesting habits it does not differ from other races. 19 eggs 



(5 measured by Hartert and 13 by the writer), from Holland and the 

 Rhine valley, average 14.15x11.02 mm. in size; Max. 15.3x11.2 

 and 14.6x11.5, Min. 12.8x10.4. Average weight of 6 Dutch 

 eggs, 53 mg. 



