Notes on the Nesting of Hill Tits.



39



drop them vertically from the nest. It may be that, nesting in such

obvious colonies, they regard these precautions as futile.


One frequently hears a bad character awarded to the Hyphan-

tornes in a mixed collection of birds, hut this has never been my

experience, and after a good many years acquaintance with a con¬

siderable number I regard them as practically harmless. They are

without doubt extraordinarily fascinating birds and become very

tame.


In the same aviary I have twice this year had Shamas

hatched (but not reared) and the parents are again sitting. Pied

Wagtails have also had two abortive sittings : one when the hen

bird was in a full moult, that is to say without any tail and with an

almost completely bald head.


Other results are a hybrid Green-Grey Singing Finch fully

reared but since dead, and the usual complement of Ribbon-finches,

etc.



NOTES ON NESTING OF HILL TITS.


Leiothrix luteus.


By George E. Low.


The following notes are merely an accompaniment to the

photos of Pekin Robins reproduced. They do not reveal, I fear,

anything novel or out of the way, only a disappointing and not

uncommon experience.


Huggins ” and “Muggins” derived their names from the

habit these birds have of roosting side by side, one of the cock’s

wings covering the hen’s back, the two having the appearance when

asleep of one rather bloated and puffed-out bird.


They decided at the latter end of August—or rather

“ Huggins ” decided, his wife taking little or no interest in the

proceedings—to set up house. He accordingly selected the covered-

in shelter attached to my little aviary, where bundles of heather are

attached to the walls. The nest was built in one of these bundles

and constructed entirely of grass. It remained unused for about a

week, except when * Huggins ” got himself into training by sitting

on it at intervals.



