COAL TITMOUSE MARSH TITMOUSE. 23 



Materials. If in an open situation, moss, grass, hair, and 

 wool ; if in a cavity, less external material ; lined with 

 feathers, hair, and wool. 



Eggs. Six to twelve. White, spotted with reddish brown ; 

 like other Tits, only larger. 



COAL TITMOUSE (Parus ater). 



Resident; generally distributed, but local in Scotland; no- 

 where very abundant. 



Haunts. Woods, &c., near open commons and moors, 

 gardens, &c. 



Observation. Note double white bars on wings and white 

 splash on crown absent in the Marsh Tit. 



Plumage. Crown, throat, and front of neck black. Cheeks 

 and spot on nape white ; upper parts slaty grey. Wings 

 bluish grey, with two white bands ; under parts white, tinged 

 with grey. Bill and legs dark horn-brown. Length 4J in. 

 Female duller, and white patches washed with yellow. Young 

 more olive above and white patches yellower. 



Language. Song, " tee-tzoo-tzoo-terry." Another note, 

 "ick-hec." 



Habits. Sociable, and closely resembling other Tits in its 

 curious antics when searching for food. Fond of coniferous 

 trees, but feeds more readily on the ground than other Tits. 



Food. Insects and their larvae ; in winter, practically 

 omnivorous. 



Nest. April onwards. Probably one brood only. 



Site. In hole in tree or wall, &c., always near ground. 



Materials. Grass, moss, wool and hair, felted together, lined 

 with feathers. 



Eggs. Six to eleven. White, speckled and dotted with pale 

 reddish brown. 



MARSH TITMOUSE (Parus palustris). 



Resident ; less common than last. Rarer in Scotland and 

 Ireland. Not by any means confined to marshy places, as its 

 name implies. 



Haunts. Woods, orchards, gardens, &c. 



Plumage. Very like last, but differs in having a black head 

 and no white nape spot. Head, nape, and chin black ; upper 

 parts grey. Wings darker grey. Cheeks and throat ashy 

 white ; under parts white, suffused with buffish. Bill black ; 

 legs lead-colour. Length 4J in. Female similar. Young 

 browner on upper parts. 



Language. Its chief note is " chick-a-dee." It also has 

 other notes much like the other Tits. 



