82 a THE OOLOGIST 
black; ear coverts, sides of neck and 
nape white; back greyish; wings grey- 
ish with two white cross bars; tail 
smoky grey; underparts yellowish 
white. Length four and one-half 
inches. Resident. 
Although the Coal Tit is said to be 
widely distributed throughout Switzer- 
land, it does not appear to be at all 
common. While one may see great 
numbers of Great Tits in a single day_ 
here at Vevey, the coal Tit seldom 
makes his appearance. It also ditf- 
fers somewhat in its habits from the 
other species of the same family, of- 
ten remaining on the ground for long 
periods at a time as if the thought 
had never occurred to it that there 
might be plenty of insect food in the 
bark crevices of the surrounding trees. 
In fact, I believe that during the win- 
ter the Coal Tit eats a great many 
more seeds than insects. 
In the spring the majority of these 
birds retire to the more heavily wood- 
ed mountainous districts to carry on 
the duties so important to their vital- 
ity. 
The nest is placed in a crevice or 
a hole in a tree and it is composed al- 
most entirely of moss and _ plant 
fibers. The six or seven eggs are al- 
most exactly like those of our Chica- 
dee, both in size and dimensions, but 
the reddish spots are perhaps gener- 
ally more numerous on the eggs of 
this little foreigner. 
As you enter the spruce groves on 
the numerous mountains which sur- 
round Vevey, a short, acute, but musi- 
eal tinkling will occasionally greet 
the ear and you know that you have 
found the Coal Tit at home. His two 
bright eyes are intent upon every 
movement, but stand motionless for a 
minute and the owner of these bright 
eyes will soon consider you a harm- 
less lunatic; regain lost confidence 
and go on unconcernedly about his 
business, shouting his merry tinkling 
song and seizing every luckless seed 
or insect which happens in his hun- 
ery path. 
Parus coerulens; Blue Titmouse. 
Crown blue; sides of head white di- 
vided by a blackish line from the base 
of the bill, across the eye to the back 
of the head, and enclosed by a heavier 
dark band looped from the nape to 
the chin; back of head and nape bright 
blue; back olive green; tail and wings 
bright blue, the latter with an indis- 
tinct greyish white cross bar. Length 
four and one-half inches. Resident. 
To me the Blue or Tom Tit, as it is 
frequently called is one of the most 
beautiful of all European birds. His 
clean cut lines and flashy colors re- 
mind one more of a jewel than a bird 
as he flits here and there among the 
trees, performing all kinds of acro- 
batic feats and peering into every 
nook and crevice in a tireless and 
endless search for food. Everyone 
puts up little wooden houses or cocoa- 
nut shells for these little birds and 
there are few country gardens which 
do not have their tit families in the 
spring time. °- 
They are sociable birds, often roam- 
ing about during the fall and winter 
in company with other tits, nuthat- 
ches or creepers. The Blue Tit’s song 
is a metallic “Sing! Sing! siiiing!” 
repeated at very short intervals and 
often followed by a sharp “Ping! 
Ping!” The nests are like those of 
the last species, but they sometimes 
lay as many as eleven eggs! this be- 
ing the case of a pair whose nest is 
in the Museum of Natural History 
here at Vevey. 
Parus cristatus; Crested Titmouse. 
Back, rump and tail coverts reddish 
brown; lower parts white, tinged with 
buff, sides of neck and face white; 
throat and chin black; collar and a 
semi-circular patch behind the ear 
