THE MARSH TITMOUSE 



feeds upon much the same objects ; but its characteristic 

 cry of tay-tay-tay will readily serve to identify it, in con- 

 junction with the absence of a white nape. The Marsh 

 Titmouse appears to pair for life, and rears two broods in 

 the season, the eggs for the first being laid in April, those 

 for the second in June. A hole in a decayed stump or 

 tree, sometimes in a gate-post, is usually selected, and in. 

 this a nest is made, cup-shaped, of dry grass, moss, wool, 

 hair, and feathers, matted and felted together. The six 

 to ten eggs are white, spotted and freckled with brownish 

 red. After the young are hatched the birds keep in 

 family parties for some time at least, although the Marsh 

 Titmouse is perhaps the least sociable of all the Tits. 



The adult Marsh Titmouse has the crown of the head 

 and the nape glossy black, the cheeks white, the remainder 

 of the upper parts sandy brown, palest on the rump ; 

 the wings and tail are brown. The chin and upper 

 throat are black flecked with greyish white, the remaining 

 under surface greyish white, suffused with buff on the 

 flanks and vent. Bill black ; tarsi and toes lead-colour ; 

 irides brown. Length 43- inches. The nestling closely 

 resembles the parents in colour, but the black portions of 

 the plumage are not so glossy, and the under surface is 

 paler. 



