THE MARSH TIT. 



Parus palustris, LINNAEUS ; La M^sange des marais, BUFFON ; Der Sumpfmeise, 

 BECHSTEIN. 



THE length of this bird is four inches and a half, of which 

 the tail measures nearly two ; the beak is four lines in length, 

 and black ; the shanks are five lines high, and lead blue ; the 

 upper part of the head, as far as the nape, is black ; the tem- 

 ples and cheeks are white ; the upper part of the body ia 

 brownish grey ; the throat is black. 



The female has less black on the throat than the male. 



HABITATION. In their wild state, these birds, during the summer, fre- 

 quent groves and orchards ; in winter, they assemble in flocks, and when 

 they move from place to place, always fly in a line one behind the other *. 



In the house they should be allowed to flutter and hop about freely ; 

 they are very delicate, and require a great deal of care at first. 



FOOD. When wild, they feed on insects, seeds, and elderberries, 

 according to the season. 



In the house they eat the same things as other tits ; but at first, ants' 

 eggs and elderberries must be added. The seeds of the sunflower (Heliatt- 

 thus major) have succeeded best with me, and preserved them in health 

 longest. They will also eat hemp-seed and oats. 



BREEDING They lay ten or twelve rusty white eggs, spotted with 

 reddish yellow, in a^hole of a tree, on a bed of moss, hair, and feathers. 



MODE OF TAKING In winter they will easily enter a trap baited with 



nut kernels or oats. A surer method is, to lay limed twigs on a sunflower 

 plant, the seeds of which are ripe. If these tits do not enter the garden, 

 a plant must be carried to a place much frequented by them. When once 

 these birds have tasted these seeds, they appear quite contented in the 

 house. It is only necessary to supply them freely; they will seize them 

 eagerly directly after being taken. 



ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES. Their pretty actions please, and their song ia 

 iweet. They relieve it occasionally by a lively strain, " diai\ diar, hitzi 

 ailtz, ailtz ! " which is their call in the pairing season. 



I was never able to keep one in the house beyond two or three years. 



* They are not uncommon in Britain, such as about London, &c. TRANSLATOR. 



