PARIDJS. 301 



Family PAR113/E. 

 Genus PCECILE, Kaup. 



Poecile dresseri, Stejn. 



Parus palustris, apud Hewitson, Eggs of Brit. Birds, i. p. 157, pi. xl. 

 fig. i (1856) ; Dresser, Birds Eur. iii. p. 99, part. (1871) ; Gadow, 

 Cat. Birds B. M. viii. p. 49, part. (1883) ; Seebohm, Brit, Birds, i 

 p. 476, pi. 9, part. (1383) ; id. Eggs of Brit. Birds, p. 212, pi. 53. 

 tig. 17, part, (1896). 



Parus dresseri, Sharpe, Handb. Brit. Birds, i. p. 139 (1894). 



Poecile dresseri, Sharpe, Hand-l. iv. p. 317 (1903). 



The eggs of the British Marsh-Titmouse are indistinguishable from 

 those of P. palustris and P. borealis. 



2. Conington, Cambridgeshire (JE. Salvin-Godman Coll. 



Newton). 



2. Welney Wash, Cambridgeshire Salvin-Godman Coll. 



(O/Salvin). 



4. Cookha rn, Berkshire (W. Briggs). Gould Coll. 



7. Cookham. Gould Coll. 



8. Cookham. Gould Coll. 



Poecile palustris (Linn.}. 



Parus palustris, Thien. Fortpjlanz. ges. Vog. p. 150, tab. xviii. fig. 7, a, b 

 (1845-54) ; Dresser, Birds Eur. iii, p. 99, part. (1871) ; Gadow, Cat. 

 Birds B. M. viii. p. 49, part. (1883). 



Poecila palustris, Baedeker, Eier Eur. Vog. tab. 43. fig. 13 (1855-63). 



Poecile palustris, Sharpe, Hand-l. iv. p. 317 (1903). 



The eggs of the Marsh-Titmouse and those of its allies, P. 

 dresseri and P. borecdis, cannot be separated from each other by 

 any character. They are of a rather pointed oval form, and while 

 some have a slight gloss others are devoid of gloss. They are 

 white, speckled and spotted with two shades of chestnut. The 

 markings are everywhere sparse, except at the broad end, where 

 they are, in many specimens, dense, and form either an irregular 

 zone or an ill-defined cap. Many examples, however, are evenly 

 marked all over with very small specks. They measure from -59 to 

 66 in length, and from 45 to *52 in breadth. 



7. Stolp, Pomerania, 4th May Seebohm Coll. 

 (T. Holland}. 



7. Stolp, 10th May ( T. H.}. Seebohm Coll. 



8. Stolp, 18th May (T. H.). Seebohm Coll. 



Pcecile borealis (Selys-Longch.}. 



Poecile alpestris, Baedeker, J.f. O. 1856, p. 33, tab. ii. fig. 13. 

 Poecila borealis, Baedeker, Eier Eur. Vog. tab. 43. fig. 16 (1855-63). 

 Parus borealis, Wheelwright, A Spring and Summer in Lapl. p. 289 

 (1871) ; Dresser, Birds Eur. iii. p. 107 (1872) ; Sree, Birds Eur. 2nd 



