FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 145 



CERTHIIDAE. 



(20) Certhia familiar is britannica The British Tree- Creeper. 



May 14 A pair seen at Canford Bottom. 



May 28 At Badbury Rings observed building in a small 

 hole in a dead Scotch fir branch. It had a 

 piece of wood slightly larger than its tail, and 

 about as big as it could hold. (E.H.C.) 



SITTIDAE. 



(21) Sitta caesia. The Nuthatch. 



Apr. 9 Busy stopping a woodpecker's nesting hole with 



mud at Canford. (E.H.C.) 

 Dec. 6 Observed at Melbury Osmond. (F.L.B.) 



PARIDAE Tits. 



Jan. 16 A mixed and roving band of Tits, of 2 Par us 

 major (Great Tit), 10 or 12 Parus caeruleus 

 (Blue Tit), and about 12 Parus ater britannicus, 

 were observed in Merley Park, near Wimborne, 

 busily searching amongst the fallen leaves, 

 grass, and beech mast under the beech trees. 

 The food was not identified, but must have 

 been small, as no bird was seen to rise with 

 food. 



Feb. 27 A large roving band of Tits in company with a 

 few Golden Crested Wrens seen in the woods 

 at the edge of Canford Bottom. 



Oct. 22 By this time the roving bands of Tits and Tree- 

 creepers had again congregated. 



Oct. 29 At Canford a large company was seen. 

 Aegithalus caudatus rosea (60), Parus ater 

 britannicus (50), Parus major newtoni (a few), 

 Parus caeruleus obscurus (2), Certhia familiaris 

 britannica '(2), Regulus cristatus (30). 



