186 BRITISH BIRDS. 



occasion witnessed a male bird perform an action which I think 

 has not previously come under the notice of ornithologists, or 

 at least does not appear to have been placed on record. 



I had discovered a nest placed low down in a thick furze- 

 bush growing beside a sandy cart-track and containing nearly 

 fully -fledged young, which at my approach scrambled out into 

 the tangled heather and were quickly lost to view. Being 

 desirous of observing the actions of the adult birds on their 

 return I partially concealed myself close to the nest, and 

 awaited developments. The male was the first to appear, and 

 immediately on discovering my presence it began to " scold," 

 and when I did not move away, his excitement became more 

 intense, and alighting on the sandy track about two yards from 

 me, he dragged himself along on the ground, with drooping 

 wings and tail-feathers widely expanded. This curious and 

 extremely interesting performance was repeated four times, 

 but, failing to produce the desired effect of enticing me from 

 the whereabouts of the brood, was then abandoned. 



Howard Bbntham. 



NOTES ON THE BREEDING OF THE GREAT TIT. 

 At the end of April this year a pair of Great Tits (Parus 

 major) took possession of a box in an apple-tree in my garden 

 in Chester and commenced to build. The nest was finished 

 on May 4th, six days having been spent in building. On 

 May 5th the first egg was laid, and on May 12th the female 

 bird commenced to sit on a clutch of seven. She sat 

 extremely closely, and often refused to move from the nest 

 when I opened the box, which I did daily in the hope of finding 

 the male bird sitting. In the daytime during incubation, 

 he visited the box seldom, but always roosted in it at night. 



Seven young were hatched out on May 24th, incubation 

 having lasted twelve days. 



In appearance they were excessively ugly, being naked with 

 the exception of a little down on the skull and shoulders. 

 The legs and claws looked much too strong for the rest of the 

 body. Except for increased size little change was observable 

 on the third day. On the fourth day there was down on the 

 dorsal tract and signs on the wing of the coming pin-feathers. 

 On the sixth day the bluish colour was noticeable. The tail- 

 feathers could not be seen until the tenth day. On the 

 eleventh day the nestlings had their eyes open. On the 

 fifteenth day a curious incident occurred, the female laid an 

 egg on the young birds ! When twenty-one days old the 

 birds were fully feathered, and two days later they left the 

 nest. 



