VOL. VIII. 



NOTES. 



73 



After the young liad flown I examined the nesting-hole 

 and nest : the hole opened almost immediately (in about 

 two inches) into a practically circular cavity, which had 

 evidently been hollowed out by the birds themselves, though 

 I did not actually see them at work ; the cavity was 6J inches 

 deep, and about 5 J inches across. The bottom of the cavity 



WILLOW COXrAINING THE WILLOW-TIT'S NESTING-HOLE 



AT DUNHAM WOODHOUSES, CHESHIRE. 



{Photographed by H. H. Storey). 



was quite rounded and smooth, like a saucer ; on this the 

 actual nest lay. It was of fair size and quite compact, but 

 was made of very light materials and weighed only half an 

 oimce. Very fine wool, hair and vegetable fibre (such as is 

 found on sallows after they have flowered), with a few small 

 feathers and some little pieces of dried grass, were woven 

 together into a thick mat with a good deal of powdered 

 rotten wood. 



