62 BIRD-LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



Coal Tit ; and last, for it is certainly the most 

 local of all, the Marsh Tit The Blue Tit is 

 specially fond of nesting in a wall, and a favourite 

 spot is amongst the masonry of the gateway to 

 the orchard ; the Great Tit is also partial to a 

 wall, but as frequently selects a hole in an apple- 

 tree. The Coal Tit shows preference for a gate- 

 post or a hollow stump in the orchard hedge ; and 

 these situations are in favour with the Marsh Tit, 

 too. The Redstart is a somewhat rare and local 

 bird in the West Country, but odd pairs here and 

 there frequent the orchards, breeding in holes of 

 the fruit-trees and occasionally in walls. This 

 species is perhaps the rarest in the district of the 

 South Hams, although we notice it on passage 

 about the wooded country between Churston and 

 Brixham with fair regularity. 



The hedges of the orchards are also favourite 

 nesting places for birds. The Red-backed Shrike, 

 the Garden Warbler, and the Whitethroats, the 

 Greenfinch, the Hedge Sparrow, the Wren, and 

 the Thrushes, all nest in abundance in them ; whilst 

 in some spots where the orchards are exceptionally 

 dense and secluded, the handsome Jay rears its 

 young. Occasionally rare birds are met with in 



