COAL-TITMOUSE 95 



of the upper parts suffused with brown or olive, while in the 

 continental form the brown tinge is confined to the rump. The 

 European coal-tit visits our islands on migration, and doubtless 

 interbreeds with our bird, as intermediate varieties are found. 



The coal-tit, or coalmouse, like the oxeye and the blue tit, is 

 generally diffused throughout the British Islands, and is not un- 

 common, although nowhere abundant. In Scotland it is more 

 local in its distribution, being found chiefly in districts abounding 

 in pine and fir woods. It is believed to be increasing in numbers 

 and extending its range in this country. In its social habits, its 

 flight, and its manner of seeking its food during which it clings to 

 the smaller boughs and twigs in a variety of positions it closely 

 resembles the other members of its genus. It also resembles them 

 in its language, although a shriller note may be detected in its 

 voice, both in its call-note and song. It differs from other tits in 

 its greater activity, in preferring conifers to other trees, in going 

 more often to the ground to feed, and in being a greater wanderer 

 out of the breeding season. 



The nest, as a rule, is placed near the ground, in a hole in a 

 rotten tree-stump, or in a wall, or any other suitable place. It is 

 composed of moss, hair, and feathers, felted together, and lined 

 with more feathers. Six to eight eggs are laid, like those of the 

 great tit in colour. Like the oxeye, it is omnivorous, but in summer 

 it feeds principally on insects. 



After the breeding season the old and young birds keep together, 

 and several families may unite and form a flock. One of the most 

 interesting winter sights in a wood composed of pine and fir grow- 

 ing together with beech and other deciduous trees is afforded by a 

 wandering flock of coal-tits. As they move from tree to tree they 

 attract other species of similar habits the oxeye and blue and 

 marsh tits, and goldcrests, and siskins, and perhaps a couple of 

 tree-creepers. Occasionally a party of long-tailed tits will join, and 

 keep with the flock for some time ; but the long-tails are the most 

 restless and vagrant of all, and eventually hurry on by themselves, 

 leaving the more patient plodders behind. It is wonderful and 

 very beautiful to see so many species thus drawn into companion- 

 ship by a common social instinct, and by a similar manner of seek- 

 ing their food ; a mental likeness serves to keep them together for 

 hours at a time, or for a whole day, in spite of so great a diversity 

 in form and colour and language. 



