73 



LONG-TAILED TIT. 



Y BENLOYN GNYFFONHIR, OP THE ANCIENT BRITISH. 



LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE. MUM RUPFIN. BOTTLE TIT. LONG-TAILED PIE. 



LONG TOM. BOTTLE TOM. POKE PUDDING. LONG POD. HUCK-MUCK. 



LONG-TAILED MAG. MUPPLIN. LONG-TAILED MUPPLIN. 



/ 



PLATE XXXV. 



Parus caudatus, PENNANT. MONTAGCT. 



" longicaudatus, BRISSON. 



Mecistura vagans, LEACH. 



WITH this species nidification commences early in March. 



The nest of the Long-tailed Titmouse, the situation of which is 

 repaired to frequently from year to year, is beautiful, and I may say 

 wonderful. It is a hollow ball, generally nearly oval, with only one 

 orifice; some have said two, to account for the location of the tail, 

 which is said to project through one of them; and Mr. Hewitson 

 describes one that he saw which had two openings, leaving the top 

 of the nest like the handle of a basket, but such must be exceptional 

 or accidental cases. In the year 1852, a similar instanced occurred 

 in the garden of the Messieurs Dawson, of Poundsworth Mill, near 

 Driffield. A French writer has explained that one orifice is intended 

 for a front and the other for a back door. Mudie writes as follows: 

 'They, in the case of two apertures, sit with the head of the male 

 out at the one, and the tail of the female out at the other, so that 

 both the apertures are partially closed, and the male is ready to start 

 out as soon as there is light enough for hunting/ 'the male going 

 out first in the morning, and the female last at night!' (Bewick says 

 that the male has his head and the female her tail out of the one 

 hole.) There being, however, in reality, but one orifice through 

 VOL. i. L 



