150 J- AM 1 LI A U 111/./) nilUiS. 



careful and persistent in its scrutiny of the bou^h up^n 

 which it is engaged^ running- nimbly round the under sur- 

 face and the sides; and then, when its curiosity is satisfied, 

 proceeding; with a short Hutterinj^- tlight to the next. 



The Cole _Tit is a very soci^djle little bird, and may 

 frequently be se^n in the company of Golden Crests, 

 Lesser Red-j>olls, and similar small tree-frequentinojjirds, 

 rovin<^ about in quest of food. This consists principally 

 of insects, caterpillars, and beech masts, and seeds of various 

 kinds. Mr. Teg-etmeier gives an instance in the Field of 

 its feeding- on lilberts. 



This bird remains with us all the year round, and 

 seems to be very little affected by cold weather, as it is 

 found in mid-winter in the most northerly parts of Scot- 

 land, and even in higher latitudes. 



The tlig-ht is seldom a very extended one. Tin- motion of 

 the wings may be described as '^ a continual fluttering" 

 and the movement altogether weak, short, and unsteady. 

 In the winter-time these birds are fond of roosting in leafy 

 evergreens and the protected sides of hnystacks. 



The bird makes no pretensions to vocal proficiency ; the 

 note is not very harmonious — indeed, it . may rather be 

 called harsh and shrill — it sounds very much likf the 

 svllables " che-chee, che-chee/^ AVhen a number of these 

 birds are engaged in searching for food the shrill cheeping 

 note is perpetually uttered. In addition to this note, the 

 bird, when sitting in its nest, makes an unpleasant Jiissing 

 noise suggestive of snakes if molested or too closely ap- 

 proached. 



The nest is very frequentlv placed in a hob' in a ti;ee, 

 and as a rule at a less. heig[it from the ground than that 

 of the other Titmice; Init various places are made use 



