480 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



The number varies from five to eight, and some writers say even twelve ; 

 but no such case has ever come under my notice. They are white with a 

 scarcely perceptible yellowish tinge in ground-colour, spotted and speckled 

 with light red. The markings are usually most numerous on the large 

 end of the egg. Some specimens have the spots very small and more 

 evenly distributed than others, and on some eggs there are a few short 

 streaky spots of blackish brown. They vary from -67 to '6 inch in length 

 and from *52 to *47 inch in breadth. It is impossible to distinguish the 

 eggs of the Marsh-Tit from those of its allies. They are, of course, slightly 

 smaller than Great Tit's ; but the only safe guide to the correct authenti- 

 cation of the eggs of this bird, and indeed of those of all the Tits, is by 

 observing the parent birds. 



The typical form of the Marsh-Tit has the head, from the base of the 

 bill to the nape, bluish black ; the cheeks and sides of the neck are white ; 

 the rest of the upper parts are sandy brown, paler on the rump ; the wings 

 and tail are dark brown, the feathers of the former with lighter margins; 

 but there are no pale tips to the wing-coverts. The chin and upper throat 

 are black, the feathers more or less margined with dull white ; the breast 

 and belly are dull greyish white tinged with buff on the flanks and lower 

 belly. Bill black ; legs, feet, and claws lead-colour ; irides dark brown. 

 The female does not differ in colour from the male; and young birds closely 

 resemble their parents, but the colours are duller. 



