COAL TIT. 57 



the corresponding buffer of the opposite carriage 

 whenever the train was travelling, so that the bird 

 was a prisoner on each of her trips. On arrival at 

 Clacton-on-Sea one morning the buffer was watched, 

 but although the carriages stood there for about two 

 hours, the bird, which was distinctly seen on arrival, 

 was not observed to leave her nest. No doubt she 

 was afraid of being left behind ; her mate being at the 

 other end of the journey. Unfortunately this nest 

 was destroyed before the eggs were hatched. 



The eggs, from six to eighteen in number, are much 

 smaller than those of the Great Tit, and are of a 

 delicate pink white, more or less spotted with clear 

 rufous brown, mostly at the larger end. 



COAL TIT. 



PARUS BRITANNICUS. 



Family PASSERID^E. Sub-family PARIN/E. Genus PARUS. 

 Cole Tit -Cole Titmouse Colemouse. 



The Coal Tit is found all over the British Isles in 

 suitable localities, but can hardly be considered as 

 common as the Blue Tit, or Great Tit. It is the 

 smallest of our British Tits, being slightly smaller 

 than the Blue Tit, but it is very different in plumage ; 

 for, whereas the prevailing colours of the latter are 

 blue, green and yellow, those of the Coal Tit are black, 

 a greyish colour and yellowish white. Its favourite 

 haunts are the woods and forests, and it is especially 

 partial to pines and firs. 



In its habits and actions it very closely resembles 

 the Blue Tit ; its antics and peculiar attitudes which 



