355 



COMMON WILD BIRDS OF THE SCARBOROUGH 



DISTRICT. 



W. GYNGELL. 



( Continued from page 328), 



The Dipper {Cinclus aqnaticiis Bechstein). Resident on the moorland 

 streams, descending the Derwent to Ayton and other liecks almost do^^^^ 

 to the sea I have not found this bird so common here as on the borders 

 of Somerset and Devon, where I have noted as many as half-a-dozen birds 

 on a half-mile reach of the river Tone. The Dipper may be heard singing 

 at almost any time of the year, summer or winter. Its nest, found in 

 earthy as well as rocky banks of streams and under bridges and waterfalls, 

 is made entirely of moss with a little dead grass and leaves. I have seen 

 well-fledged young about by April 28th. The usual clutch of five eggs 

 weighs one ounce. The following notes were written at the time the 

 observations were made : — ' One swimming and diving in Scalb)^ Beck 

 on January 6th, it remained under water from three to four seconds at 

 each dive, after remaining for a minute or two in one spot it flitted up 

 stream and performed again at another pool. The dip or curtseying action 

 of this bird is repeated with clock-work like regularity about every two 

 seconds. The song is low, sweet and varied, not unlike, but more con- 

 tinous than the robin's, or reminding one of the lark's song heard at a 

 distance. In the breeding season T have seen one bird chase another up 

 and down stream singing all the time. 



The Long-Tailed Titmouse (Acredula caudala 'L.). This is by far the 

 scarcest of the five ' tom tits ' found in our district and rarely seen at all 

 except in winter when flocking with other Paridae in the woods. I have 

 only come across two nests here in twenty-nine years. One of these, 

 built only three feet above ground in a thorn hedge, was robbed by a mouse 

 or vole that had bored through the bottom of the nest. The well-known 

 nest is made of moss, ornamented with — or disguised b}' — lichens and 

 spider-webs or wool and lined with feathers. Eight feet above ground is 

 the highest position I have found occupied in hedge, bush or against the 

 main stem of a tree. Ten eggs are usually laid and it would take three 

 such ' sittings ' to weigh i ounce. I have found eleven eggs in a nest. 



*The Great Titmouse {Pants major L.). This, the noisiest as well 

 as the largest member of the family, common here at all times, is sometimes 

 abundant when local numbers are swelled by winter visitors. At such 

 times I have sometimes seen scores together about one village. It may 

 be heard singing ' teacher, teacher, teacher,' as one of my scholastic friends 

 will have it, from February ist till November i8th and from 2-57 a.m. 

 till 8-20 p.m. at midsummer. Its nest here is usually in a hole in a 

 tree, sometimes in a wall, from 3 ft. to 5 feet only above ground. Moss of 

 several species felted together with wool and hair and rabbits' fur are the 

 materials used. From eight to ten eggs are laid, each weighing -06 oz. 

 The following notes are copied direct from the page in my bird book that 

 deals with this species : — ' One singing on the roof of a house. The song 

 sometimes runs to as many as eighteen double notes. Have heard a 

 singing bird slowly raise the pitch of its voice about half a tone. The 

 song, I think, more resembles the sound made by sawing with a large 

 hand-saw than the harsh noise made by a ' saw-sharpener,' a common 

 local name for the bird.' Four or five other notes I have refer to its 

 song. Saw one fly after another both singing on the wing. Have heard 

 and seen a small party of Great Tits hammering at the trunk of aYew 

 tree and making as much noise with their beaks as woodpeckers. De- 

 cember 2^th, '03. — Several feeding in 3'oung grass of a stubble-field ; 

 January i^th. — Crreat Tits feeding in grass. 



