THE GREAT TITMOUSE. 85 



The cause of this partial distribution is not easy to 

 determine, although it is probably to be explained 

 by the presence or absence of certain food which is 

 more or less necessary for the bird's existence. 



To see the Great Titmouse at his best we should 

 look out for him in spring, when he has assumed his 

 nuptial plumage, and when his bright colours are 

 seen to great advantage amongst the young leaves. 

 He is then busy looking for a nesting-place, which 

 is generally a hole in a tree, or a crevice in some old 

 wall. A quantity of moss is carried in with strips 

 of soft bark, and sometimes fills up a considerable 

 portion of the cavity. Next comes a layer of 

 cow-hair (in one particular park we have found 

 deer -hair used for the purpose), and this is 

 pressed down so as to form a soft yet firm 

 platform, upon which the eggs are laid amongst 

 a few feathers. 



When quite fresh the eggs, usually six or seven 

 in number, are of a delicate pink colour, owing to 

 the transparency of the white shell allowing the 

 yolk to be faintly seen through, while the larger end 

 is profusely spotted with red. This delicate appear- 

 ance passes off as soon as the eggs are incubated, as 



