H2 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



discarded fragments (James Carter MS.). At Kirkleatham, 

 near Redcar, during the winter of 1901-2, three Marsh Tits 

 used to feed with the Pheasants upon the corn thrown out 

 in front of the keeper's lodge. (See also Mr. F. Boyes's 

 remarks on a similar habit observed in connection with the 

 Blue Tit, p. in.) 



Local names are : Blackcap and Tom Tit (general) ; and 

 Blackcap Titmouse (Hinderwell's "Scarborough"). 



BLUE TITMOUSE. 

 Parus caeruleus (Z.). 



Resident; generally distributed; common. Regular autumn migrant. 



The first allusion to this bird in Yorkshire is contained in 

 the Tunstall MS. : " We have plenty of the others (Titmice), 

 particularly the Blue." (Fox's " Synopsis/' p. 75.) 



Thomas Allis, 1844, wrote : 



Parus cesruleus. Blue Tit Also common. 



This familiar species, the commonest of its family, is 

 generally distributed in the woodlands, fields, and hedgerows, 

 and, as may be expected, is most abundant in the more 

 wooded portions of the county, but even in the higher moorland 

 districts it is by no means uncommon in the fall of the year, 

 as the wandering parties of this and other small birds visit 

 almost every hedge, wood, and town and city garden in the 

 autumn and winter months, although they may be absent 

 in the nesting season. 



Great arrivals take place on the east coast in the autumn, 

 generally accompanied by their larger relative, the Great Tit, 

 and at the times of migration, from mid-September to mid- 

 November, the hedgerows near the coast swarm with these 

 little clean-coloured individuals. In 1878 there was a great 

 influx during the last fortnight in October, which corresponded 

 with a similar " rush " at Heligoland (Zool. 1879, p. 44) ; 



