PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 179 



beM) <!-. nl.,-,1 .1- <li-t m. t. lnCrcat Hritnin it is ratlici lo.-.il and decidedly MMMV 

 than the other tits, but is fairly numerous in Kent and Pembroke, though scarce 

 in N. Wales. In Scotland its status is as 71! uncertain, all teeotdi from the Moray 

 and Forth areas appeal' to refer to the willow-tit, and recent observations seem to 

 point to its absence altogether from Scotland (nee H. F. Witherby, fir. Birds, iv. 

 p. 284), while in the north of England its presence requires authentication. It is 

 absent from Ireland. [P. c. R, J.] 



3. Migration. Resident: there is no evidence of anything more than local 

 movements. One of the Continental races of this species has occurred only once on 

 Heligoland, although migratory on the neighbouring portions of the mainland 

 (of. Gatke, Vogtlwartt Helgoland, Eng. trans., 1895, p. 416). [A. L. T. | 



4. Nest and Eggs. As a rule the nests of the marsh-tits may be distin- 

 guished from those of the willow-tits by the following characters. They are generally 

 placed in natural holes, only slightly enlarged by the birds in decayed trees, old 

 hedge etumps, etc. The nest is comparatively bulky and is built of moss, with a 

 thick lining of felted rabbit's down and animal hair or vegetable down as lining, but 

 not feathers. Any chips of decayed wood are removed by the old birds. (PI. xxv.) 

 The share of each sex in building seems not to have been recorded. Eggs 7 or 8 as a 

 rule, but sets of 9 to 12 are said also to have been found. They are white, sometimes 

 lightly freckled with pale reddish and at other times boldly marked with dark red- 

 brown spots. (PI. D.) Average size of 47 eggs, -61 x -48 in. [15-6 x 12-2 mm.). 

 The laying season begins late in April in the south and early in May further north. 

 Incubation lasts about 13 days, and the sitting bird is the hen in those cases where 

 the sex has been noted. A second brood appears to be sometimes reared. [P. c. B.J.] 



5. Food. Chiefly insects. In autumn and winter it feeds largely on berries, 

 beech-mast, nuts, seeds of the larch, and thistle. The young are fed by both 

 parents on insects and their larva?, f E. L. T.] 



6. Song Period. Occasionally in November and December: frequently 

 from early January to end of March or early May. Also record in June, July, 

 and October. (C. J. and H. O. Alexander, Br. Birth, iv. p. 274.) [B. L. T.] 



BRITISH WILLOW -TIT [Panu atricapillus kUintchmidli 

 Hellmayr.j 



I. Description. The willow-tit (PI. 63) differs from the marsh-tit in that the 

 black area of the head and neck is without gloss and the flanks are slightly more 

 VOL. II. 2 A 



