Their Eggs and Nests. 95 



COLE TITMOUSE— (P^r//j ater). 



Colemouse, Coal- head, Cole Titmouse. — A hardy 

 little bird, of no rare occurrence in any part of the 

 kingdom. Incessantly active, and frequently associat- 

 ing witli other small birds, it prosecutes a restless 

 search for the small insects and seeds which form its 

 food. Its nest, of moss and wool and hair, is })laced 

 in a hole in a tree, sometimes very near the ground ; 

 sometimes even in a hole in the ground which has 

 been made by some small quadruped. Like the other 

 Tits, if necessary it will enlarge a hole in a tree which 

 it finds already such as nearly to suit its requirements. 

 Six to eight eggs are laid, white, and spotted with 

 faint red. 



MARSH TITMOUSE— (/'^r/zj: palustris). 



Coal-head, Blackcap, Willow-biter. — A plentiful 

 species in places ; but as its name intimates, with a 

 preference for districts with the peculiar low growth 

 of bush and willow found in low fenny countries. It 

 makes its nest in old willows and the low stunted 

 trunks of pollard trees, and will labour hard to make 

 a nearly suitable hole quite serviceable. It is said to 

 carry the chips it makes quite aw^ay to some di^^tance. 

 The nest is better built than those of the Tits hitherto 

 named, of moss and wool ; and the number of eggs 

 varies from five or six to eight or even ten. They are 

 of the usual Tom-tit type, white, spotted with red. 



CRESTED TITMOUSE— (P^/'/zi- cristaius). 



As rare with us as the last tw^o Titmice are 

 common. 



