i6S 



THE BEARDED TIT EXPERIMENT AT HORNSEA MERE. 



H. B. BOOTH, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 



So far the experiment of the Wild Birds' and Eggs' Protection. 

 Acts' Committee of the Yorkshire NaturaUsts' Union in intro- 

 ducing the Bearded Tit (or, I think more correctly, the Bearded 

 Reedling, Paniirus biarmicus) to Hornsea Mere, has turned out 

 to be an unqualified success. The conditions are ideally 



The first-known Yorkshire Bearded Tit's nest, taken at Hornsea Mere on May 11th, 1912 



(after the young birds had left it), and now in the Hull Museum. 



(Photo taken looking from above). 



suitable to their habits and nesting requirements, and for 

 many years it has been a matter of surprise that no birds of 

 this species took up their quarters there. After some discussion 

 among the members of this committee, Mr. Fortune's suggestion 

 of obtaining eggs of the Bearded Tit from the Norfolk Broads 

 and inserting them into nests of Reed Warblers at Hornsea, 

 appeared to be the best and easiest means of trying the experi- 



