FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 147 



active little birds ; but the male kept his green 

 larva and came back with it at 2.11 and cleared 

 out the leaves and fed the young. 2.17, female 

 fed ; 2.18, male ; 2.20, I crossed two twigs in the 

 entrance hole, hoping thereby to secure a better 

 opportunity for exposing plates of these active 

 birds ; but at 2.27 male arrived with a green 

 larva and found that the twigs were too strong 

 for him to move ; so I ultimately went out arid 

 took them away. Thereafter I heard neither 

 bird till 2.43, when the male returned with his 

 green larva, went inside the nesting box, and 

 then popped his head out, afterwards returning 

 inside to feed the young. 



2.44, female, 2.45, male, 2.45-3.0, female 

 came all in such rapid succession that I put 

 up some more oak leaves in the entrance 

 hole. 



3, female ; 3.1, male arrived ; at 3.5 I put up 

 another oak leaf. At 3.6 the male removed it, 

 and fed the young. At 3.14 I put up further 

 oak leaves, at 3.15 male came with an insect 

 like the devil's coach horse. Between 3.15 and 

 3.20 the birds fed three times and again at 3.22. 

 At 3.24 female cleaned nest, and at 3.26, 3.27, 

 3.28, and 3.35 the parents again fed the young. 

 After which I left." 



May 28 This boxful was as big as their parents, and 

 nearly ready to leave the nest. 



May 28 A pair were observed feeding young at Badbury 

 Kings. (E.H.C.) 



(24) Parus caeruleus obscurus. The British Blue Titmouse. 



May 21 A pair at Canford were feeding young in a hole 

 in an oak tree ; they came to nest with food 

 about every minute. (W.P.C. and E.H.C. ). 



