﻿554- TITMOUSE. 



fufpended between three reeds drawn together, thought to be the 

 work of that bird *.. 



They are alfo common in Denmark; and Buffon fuppofes, that 

 a pair of thefe, having efcaped from the cage of the Countefs of 

 Albemarle, have founded this colony in England. This may have 

 been the cafe in refpect to thofe of Erith, being on the borders 

 of the Thames, but will not fo well account for their being elfe- 

 where ; and I am inclined to think that they are indigenous to us,, 

 and have been fo ab origins ; and that it is merely owing to their 

 frequenting fuch places only where the reeds grow, that they have 

 been fo little known ; for as thefe birds never go farther than a few 

 yards from the beds j, they have flood the greater chance, which, 

 has really happened, of not being earlier obferved: however, future 

 obfervers would do well to pufh their enquiries further con- 

 cerning this bird 9 firft, in refpecl to the neft itfelf, and manner - 

 of rearing their young; and, fecondly, in what other parts of 

 England they have been obferved.. 



* Kramer fays, the neft is built among the Willows, and is of the fhape of a 

 purfe, made of foft downy materials, fuch as the down of the Greater Cat's 

 Tailt, or that of the Afp.||, hanging the neft on a branch. 



f The Reed-tea's frequently cover many acres of ground ; thefe grow in the 

 water, fo as to be overflowed at every tide ; and few perfons ever go near them, , 

 except in the time of cutting, which they do in boats, as, excepjt at very low, 

 tides, one can fcarce fet a footftep within their boundaries. 



J T'/fba larifolia, Lin. . || Populm tretnula, Lin. 



LENGTH 



