PARID^ — THE TITMICE. 123 



concert with great earnestness for several days, until the hole, which is r^and, 

 and not larger at the entmnce than the body of the bird, is dug ten or twelve 

 inches deep, widening at the bottom. The eggs, according to Mr. Audubon, 

 are laid on the bare wood. This, however, is probably not tlieir constant 

 Iiabit. The eggs, from four to six in number, and not much larger than those 

 ot the Hununing-J]iicl, have a white ground, tliickly sprinkled with tine red- 

 dish-brown dots. Tliey are said to raise two, and even three, broods in a 

 season. According to the observations of the late Dr. Gerhardt of Northern 

 Georgia, the Brown-headed Xuthatch breeds in that part of the country about 

 the 19th of April. 



The eggs of this Xuthatch are of a rounded oval sliape, measuring .60 by 

 .oO ol an inch. Their white ground-color is so completely overlaid by a pro- 

 lusion of fine dottings of a dark purplish-brown as to be entirely concealed, 

 and the egg appears almost as if a unilbrm chocolate or brown color. 



