188 THE TITS 



only a practised eye would detect its presence. Usually, however, thick 

 hedges and gorse-bushes are their favourite habitat : the whole 

 structure is then so woven amongst twigs that it cannot be detached 

 without cutting away part of the bush. These nests vary considerably 

 in length, some I have found measuring about five inches, others 

 nearly seven. 



There is a common error afloat that the longtailed-tit builds this 

 long deep nest simply for the convenient stowing away of its lengthy 

 tail ; but this is not the case. The warm, elongated, bottle-shaped 

 nursery is intended to shelter from eight to ten fairy-like balls of down, 

 each one more or less energetic. If either parent settles down to 

 brood, the tail which certainly requires some arranging is turned up 

 over the owner's back. When the young are half-fledged, if you happen 

 to catch one of the old birds in the nest filling up the entrance like a 

 small stopper, the tail is very visible, sometimes even projecting 

 beyond the nest. This is also the case when the hen who broods 

 entirely for some days after the nestlings are hatched raises herself 

 up to receive food from her mate. When administering food to the 

 young she stands on tip-toe, bends down and feeds the little ones 

 without greatly inconveniencing herself, or disarranging her tail, which 

 is merely thrust a little further forward out of the nest. During the 

 earlier stages of incubation, the length and thickness of the nest must 

 greatly assist the parent in her work. No doubt these air-tight walls 

 retain much of the heat generated by the tiny mother, otherwise she 

 could not possibly hatch out such a number of eggs. Nevertheless, if 

 I were sanitary inspector in the bird world, I should condemn this 

 beautiful nursery as faulty in construction. Though quite water-tight 

 when the brooding bird blocks the entrance, yet, after a deluge of 

 min, it occasionally happens that the nest is filled with water, in which 

 case the eggs or young are drowned in their own home. Whether or 

 not this only occurs when one or other of the adult birds has been 

 destroyed, I cannot say. Anyway, the dwelling should be provided 

 with some means of carrying off superfluous moisture, 



