116 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vir. 



was absolutely flat and the Cuckoo was sitting close inside a 

 low edging-tile, which alone separated the bird from the 

 gravel-path adjoining. John R. B. Masefield. 



On June 30th, 1913, 1 found a Pied Wagtail's nest con- 

 taining three fresh eggs in a recently ploughed field. A 

 large sod had not fallen into its place and thus made a small 

 "cave," and in this the nest was placed. It was some 30 

 yards from a fence and about 350 yards from water, though 

 this is not unusual. Later, however, some Rooks found the 

 nest and destroyed it. J. H. Owen. 



WILLOW-TIT NESTING IN CHESHIRE. 



A PAIR of Willow-Tits {Parus a. Ideinschmidti) have nested this 

 year (1913) in a covert not far from Bowdon, in Cheshire. I 

 noticed them first on April 15th, when they were paying 

 occasional visits to a hole at the top of a high and partly 

 rotten white willow. They were not working hard at the 

 hole, but spent a considerable time in the undergrowth near 

 the tree, and were frequently within a few feet of me. The 

 dull brown-black cap was easy to see, and the pale edges of 

 the secondaries often conspicuous ; but neither on this nor 

 subsequent visits did it strike me that the graduated tail is 

 a good character to see in the field. In general coloration 

 the birds were duller than the Marsh-Tit. 



For several days the birds made occasional visits to the 

 hole and brought out chips, but it was not until April 25th 

 that they were hard at work. On that date both birds were 

 bringing out chips as fast as they could. Each time they 

 brought out a chip or chips they flew with them to a tree some 

 yards away before they dropped their load. Mr. Jourdain 

 {British Bird BooTc, III., p. 180) says that " the chips are often 

 left lying below the hole," but in this case every chip was 

 carefully removed. Incubation began on or about May 2nd, 

 for on that and subsequent days only one bird was visible. 

 I could not be sure if the male took any share in incubation, 

 but it was usually the male which was about the neighbouring 

 trees and bushes. He sang frequently ; his song, to my ear, 

 was similar to, but softer than, that of the Marsh-Tit — ^there 

 was more " s " than " z " in it. He also had a note which 

 I have not heard any other tit utter : it sounded like the 

 repeated twang of a stringed instrument, but I am not 

 musician enough to describe it. The birds were apparently 

 feeding the young 6n May 16th, and both parents were 

 occasionally off the nest at the same time. I failed to see 

 ^the young leave, and, indeed, am not sure if the brood 



