f' 



THE COLE TIT. 



PARUS ATER. 



Crown of the head, throat, and front of the neck black ; cheeks and nape white ; 

 upper parts grey ; wings bluish grey, with two white bands ; under parts 

 white, tinged with grey. Length four inches and a half ; breadth nearly eight. 

 Eggs like the last. 



THIS and the following species resemble each other so closely 

 in size, habits, general hue and note, that at a distance 

 it is difficult to distinguish them. There are, however, 

 strong points of difference ; the head and neck of the 

 present species being glossy black, with a patch of pure 

 white on the nape of the neck and on the cheeks, while 

 the head of the Marsh Tit is of a dull sooty black, without 

 any admixture of white, nor is there a white spot on the 

 cheeks. The Cole Tit is in many districts a common bird, 

 inhabiting woods and hedgerows, and feeding on insects, 

 for which it hunts with unceasing activity among the 

 branches and twigs of trees. Its note is less varied than 

 that of the Blue Tit, but sweeter in tone. It builds its 

 nest in the holes of trees and walls, of moss, hair, and 

 feathers, and lays six or seven eggs. 



