16 THE SMALLER BRITISH BIRDS. 



tails projecting from the door, or they may have some cunning 

 method of doubling them up, and sitting upon them, like an elastic 

 cushion. The nest itself is really a wonderful structure, no wonder 

 it takes a fortnight to build; it is composed of moss, mingled with 

 which are small fragments of bark and wool, bound together by 

 spiders' webs, and the silk-like filaments which surround the chrysa- 

 lides of some kinds of moths; the lining is generally of feathers, 

 which also form part of the whole nest, which sometimes looks as if 

 it were altogether made of this material, hence the name of Feather- 

 poke, sometimes applied both to the bird and nest by country people : 

 often the latter is very elegant, on account of the coloured lichens 

 with which it is adorned, and generally it very closely resembles in 

 its tints the tree on which it is built, so as to escape observation. 

 It looks likes a mossy excrescence between the branches, where it is 

 usually fixed so firmly by the glutinous cobweb as not to be easily 

 removed. Both birds assist in the making of the nest, carefully 

 working in the materials, and kneading them together with their 

 breasts and shoulders, assuming every variety of attitude to effect 

 their object. Two thousand three hundred and seventy-nine feathers 

 have been counted in one of these nests, which although loose, and 

 often somewhat ragged in appearance, are in reality very firm and 

 compact; they are perfectly water-tight. 



The eggs are generally about twelve in number, not much bigger 

 than a pea, sometimes entirely white, but generally having faint red 

 spots scattered sparely over the larger end. The same nest is used 

 by one pair of the birds year after year, and is often patched and 

 repaired, to fit it for continued occupation; sometimes the fresh 

 materials are quite different from those formerly used, then we are 

 reminded of the piece of new cloth sewn into the old garment. The 

 young birds are generally fledged about the end of June, and do not 

 get their full-dress suit until November. 



THE BEARDED TIT, 



(Parus barbatus.} 

 PLATE I. FIGURE VII. 



THE Bearded Titmouse, or Pinnock, the Least Butcher Bird, and 

 the Heed Pheasant, are the various names applied to this species, 



