COLE TITMOUSE. 173 



reaches to the most northern counties of Scot- 

 land ;* but we consider its most favourite stations 

 to be extensive and retired woods, particularly 

 those of pine, in a sub-alpine country, where it 

 spends its summer and rears its young, and 

 whence, on the approach of autumn, it removes 

 to the lower and warmer woods, rambling in small 

 troops from clump to clump, or from one wood 

 to another, and marking their progress by an 

 incessant shrill call. It breeds in holes, generally 

 preferring the locality we have mentioned, but 

 sometimes also choosing a lower territory. The 

 nest is placed in the hole of some bank or 

 low rock, and less frequently in any high station, 

 or in holes of trees ; last summer we found it in 

 a hole in a stone and lime wall, about two feet 

 from the ground ; it is composed of warm mate- 

 rials, and the eggs are from six to nine or ten, 

 white, with reddish spots, chiefly on the thicker 

 end. During the season of pairing and incuba- 

 tion it utters, like the Greater Titmouse, a shrill 

 harsh note, continued for some time, and still 

 more closely resembling the sharpening of a saw. 

 Its extra-British range extends over Northern 

 Europe, f and also as far south as Italy, J to 

 Siberia. and probably Northern Asia, also 

 Japan. || 



Crown of the head, nape, and throat, black, 



* Selby, in Jameson's Journal. 



t Mr W. Christie, Ent. Mag Nilson. 



J Prince of Musignano, in Yarrell, British Birds. 



$ Pennant. II Teftim. sup,p. to Ois. d' Europe. 



