450 Procceclinrfs of the Royal Physical Society. 



of the hole is about 9 inches. The lining, or nest proper, is 

 composed principally of rabbit fur, mixed with scales of the 

 leaf buds of trees, — mostly beech, — and other soft materials. 

 The inside measurement of the bottom of the nest is little 

 if anything more than an inch and a quarter across. In it 

 lay five all but fresh eggs of the usual titmouse type. They 

 have, however, to my eye a higher gloss than those of the 

 other British species. From the eagerness of the bird to 

 return to the nest each time it was disturbed, it seems pro- 

 bable the complement of eggs was complete or very nearly 

 so. I should have pointed out that immediately below the 

 hole containing the nest, there is a second chamber, which 

 had most probably been abandoned in consequence of the 

 occurrence of a knot or other obstruction in the wood, and 

 operations recommenced higher up the stake. 



Though comparatively common in many parts of England, 

 the Marsh Tit appears to be a decidedly rare and local 

 species in the basin of the Forth, and indeed in Scotland 

 generally. Although convinced I have previously heard its 

 call-note in our district, it was not till my visit to Dunipace 

 last May, that I actually saw the bird, — not, however, for 

 the first time in my experience, as I had already become 

 acquainted with it, to a certain extent, both in Norway and 

 in Switzerland. Since taking the nest at Dunipace, I have 

 been fortunate enough to see the bird in our own county, 

 Midlothian. This was on 30th August last, when I had 

 an excellent view of a pair travelling in company with Blue 

 and Greater Tits, about two miles south of Midcalder 

 station. While watching this pair, I observed them alight 

 several times on the flowers of the Common Eagwort, a habit 

 which had not escaped the keen observation of the late 

 Prof. MacGillivray, who remarked that he had seen this tit 

 alight on herbaceous plants, especially thistles. No doubt 

 these visits to the flower-heads of the Composite are made in 

 search of the insects, to which they prove so attractive. Mr 

 Harvie -Brown feels sure the species has recently bred near 

 Kippen, in Stirlingshire, and asserts that it is much more 

 common in that county in autumn than it used to be. In 

 MacGillivray's day it was considered rare in Scotland, and 



