BLUE TIT. 69 



the previous year's nest out of it, the birds not having room to build, 

 were necessitated to seek other quarters. This year, however, they 

 have built again in their old residence, where they are at present 

 daily employed in attending to the wants of a numerous progeny/ 



The nest is also often placed under the eaves of houses, the tiles 

 of the roof, or .any suitable part of an out-of-doors building; if in 

 a tree, the outer passage leading into an inner apartment is hollowed 

 out by the bird itself in a truly marvellous manner, as smoothly as 

 if wrought by the hand of man: one has been known to build in the 

 end of a disused leaden pipe. 



Mr. M. Saul has narrated in the 'Zoologist/ the following most sin- 

 gular instance of something akin to reasoning in a case of the kind, if 

 indeed the motive was such as he has imagined: 'Two birds made their 

 appearance; one entered the hole, and appeared to be pecking away at 

 the wood inside, for as it managed to separate piece after piece, it 

 brought them to the other bird, which remained at the entrance; and 

 this last flew away with each piece, and carrying it to a distance 

 from the tree, dropped it on the middle of the road, as if to avoid 

 the detection which was almost sure to follow, if the chips had been 

 carelessly dropped at the foot of a tree in a frequented thoroughfare/ 



The same nest is frequently repaired from year to year: the Revs. 

 Andrew and Henry Matthews have known one resorted to for twelve 

 successive years. It is said, however, that if two broods are brought 

 up in the year two different situations are chosen for the purpose: 

 sometimes two pairs will quarrel for the same situation. 



The eggs are generally seven or eight in number, but have been 

 known as few as six, and as many as sixteen, and some have said 

 even eighteen or twenty; the usual number being from eight to 

 twelve. They are of a delicate pink white, more or less spotted, and 

 most so at the larger end, with clear rufous brown. 



One variety is much marked over with washes, spots, specks, and 

 blots of yellowish brown. 



Another is elegantly thus dotted over only. 



A third is white, with very faint dots. 



