FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 151 



"' This nesting box had been specially placed with a view to 

 " photography. Although the light registered 25 sees, on 

 " the meter at the nest, in bright sunlight through the trees. 

 ' c it is really wondereful how the green leaves soak up the 

 " sunlight. I found I was unable to distinguish the sexes. 

 " On every occasion the food brought was green larvae, 

 " except once when the bird was so quick that I was unable to 

 "identify the food. The times of feeding were 1.40, 1.48, 

 '1.50, 1.51, 1.54, 1.56, 1.59, 2.1, 2.4, 2.8, 2.10, 2.14, 2.15, 

 " 2.16, 2.20. At 2.25 I went outside the tent to test the light, 

 " which had become very dull, and it was three o'clock before 

 " I heard the birds having a consultation near the nest, then 

 " they went away till 3.10, At 3.11, 3.15 and 3.21, the birds 

 " fed the young, after which I had to leave." The birds 

 are very quick in their movements, but not very difficult, as 

 they pause and stay quite still for a moment, and one can 

 judge their movements. (E.H.C. and W.P.C.). 

 Parus palustris dresser i (The British Marsh Tit). 



After examining a very large number of nests of this bird 

 we have come to the conclusion that its favourite material 

 is roebuck hair (where available), which partiality is also 

 shared by Parus ater-bntannicus. As it is necessary to clean 

 every nesting box at the beginning of each season, and as we 

 have careful charts of the boxes and what bird is using them, 

 there is every opportunity of forming a satisfactory conclusion, 

 since the materials keep well in the dry boxes, and after the 

 young birds have flown one can examine the nest at one's 

 leisure. We have had boxes out for 4 seasons, anything from 

 20 to 50 in a season. So far P.c. obscurus and P.m. newtoni 

 with equal opportunity have eschewed this material. 



23rd May. This bird was feeding young in one of our 

 nesting boxes at Canford. (W.P.C. and E.H.C. ). 

 Parus borealis kleinschmidti (The British Willow Titmouse). 



This bird has not, so far as I am aware, hitherto been 

 recognised in this country, but Dr. Penrose gave us some 

 particulars of it and suggested that it should, so we kept a 

 sharp look out. I am pleased to be able to record that we are 



