TITS 37 
Nest. Place: thick bushes and hedges, also in trees. 
Material: moss, lichen, cobwebs, hair, wool felted to form a 
domed nest with the opening at the side near the top. Lined 
with feathers, | 
Eggs. Usually 8-12. White spotted light red, sometimes 
unspotted. Av. size, °55x°43 in. Laying begins in April. 
Broods 1-2. 
68. Great-tit,ox-eye [ Parus major L.]. Resident and generall 
distributed. Some are winter visitors to our eastern seaboard, 
but these, owing to the greater size of the beak, have been sepa- 
rated as Parus major major Linnzeus. If this distinction is main- 
tained the breeding form becomes Parus major newtont Prazak. 
Bird. Length 5?in. Distinguished from the other tits by 
its distinctly larger size and by the broad 
black band which runs from the black 
throat down the centre of the under-parts. 
Head and throat glossy blue-black with a 
striking white patch on the cheek. Upper- 
parts yellowish-green, passing into bluish- 
grey on the rump and tail. Outer tail- 
eathers mostly white. A white spot on the Fig. 40. 
nape. Under-parts mostly sulphur-yellow. 
Wings chiefly greyish-blue and brown with a white bar. 
Nest. Place: usually in some kind of hole, also in thickset 
twigs or old nests of other species. Material: moss, grass, 
wool, &c., lined usually with hair or fur. 
iggs. Usually 6-11. White spotted with shades of red- 
brown ; also unspotted. Av. size,-70x‘53in. Laying begins 
April-May. Usually 1 brood. 
69. British coal-tit [Parus ater britannicus Sharpe and 
Dresser]. Confined, as far as known, to Great Britain, but its 
winter movements may extend to Ireland. 
Bird. Length 44 in. Recognised by the conspicuous large 
white patch on the nape. See also marsh- 
tit and willow-tit. Head and throat 
glossy blue-black with a white patch on 
each cheek. Upper-parts and wings 
mostly olive-grey with two white bars on 
the latter. A rufous tinge on the rump. 
Under-parts dull white with reddish-buff 
on the flanks, Fig. 41 
Nest. Place: a hole, usually in an old 
stump or wall. Material: moss, lined usually with hair, fur, 
or wool. 
figgs. Usually 7-11. White with red spots. Av. size, 
59x °45 in. Laying begins April-May. One brood is usual. 
