306 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



from the ground, and is sometimes dug by the bird's 

 own exertions. On the Continent it patronises the 

 deserted nests of Crows and old squirrel dreys. It 

 breeds in old pine, fir, and oak forests in Ross, 

 Banff, Perth, Inverness, and possibly one or two 

 other favourite localities in Scotland only. 



Materials. Dead grass, moss, feathers, and 

 down of hares and rabbits. 



Eggs. Five. Professor Newton says that they 

 do not seem to exceed five in number. Mr. Dixon 

 gives the figures as from five to eight, and Mr. 

 Morris from seven to ten. Possibly the last is the 

 result of some Continental information, as it is 

 said the bird lays from eight to ten eggs there. 

 White, spotted, blotched, and speckled with red 

 of varying shades ; the spots are generally most 

 numerous round the larger end. Size about '65 by 

 51 in. A sight of the parent birds and locality of 

 the nest are the only safe means of identification. 



Time. April, May, and June. 



Remarks. Resident and very local. Notes, sij 

 si, si, followed by a spluttering note like ptur, re, 

 re, re, ree, according to Mr. Seebohm. Local and 

 other names : Crested Titmouse. Sits closely. 



TIT, GREAT. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about five 

 and three-quarter inches ; bill of medium length, 

 nearly straight, and black. Irides dusk}^. Head 

 black ; cheeks white ; nape greenish-yellow, sur- 

 rounding a whitish spot ; back olive green ; rump 

 bluish-grey ; wing-coverts bluish, the larger being 

 tipped with white ; quills dusky, edged with light 

 greenish-blue ; tail quills dusky, the outer feathers 



