42 BRITISH BIRDS. 



throat black ; upper plumage olive-brown, with a warmer 

 tinge on rump ; wing feathers and tail greyish-brown, with 

 pale outer margins ; under parts huffish-white ; bill black; 

 iris dark hazel ; feet blackish. Length almost 4*50. 

 Female, identical. Young, browner. 



The description is that of the British race, P. palustris 

 dresseri of Stejneger, which, however, is not usually 

 separated by our ornithologists. The typical P. pahistris 

 of the Continent is olive-grey above ; it is an intermediate 

 form, the other extreme being P. palustris borealis, of Arctic 

 Europe, which is larger, light grey above, and white below. 



Resident and tolerably common in England and Wales ; 

 rare in Scotland, only breeding in the south ; in Ireland 

 has occurred in Antrim, Kildare, and Dublin (Thompson), 

 but Dr. Trumbull tells me it has not been obtained for 

 many years, and he doubts if it has ever bred. In winter 

 it is very common in the woodlands around London in 

 company with other Titmice, but in the breeding season 

 quite rare. I have always known it to excavate for itself 

 a nesting hole like the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker's, in a 

 decayed willow or other stump, a few feet from the ground, 

 but it is said to also choose a ready-made site. Nest : a 

 little moss, wool, and hair. Eggs : 5 to 8, white, spotted 

 about larger end with reddish-brown ; size '63 by '48. 

 Song is an almost inaudible sis, sis, sis, see; usual note 

 when feeding a weak zee, zee, zeej call-note a shrill quick 

 sissle-chip ; when alarmed it utters a shrill squeaking, 

 followed by a harsh cree, ree, ree, ree.~ 



53* Parus eseruleus, Linn. BLUE TITMOUSE. 



Hab. Europe, east to the Ural Mountains, north to 

 64 N. lat. in Norway. 



Male : feathers of crown bright blue, capable of partial 

 erection ; from forehead to nape (above eye) a white line, 



