THE SINGING BIRDS. 307 



small mossy tree, or among the thick twigs of a shrub, often a hawthorn, sometimes an evergreen, 

 seldom more than three or four feet from the ground, and generally within cover of the sprays. Its 

 form resembles that of an egg placed on the broader end ; in appearance and texture it is very like a 

 short decayed stump, that has been coated over with lichens, and is as firm in texture as it is neat 

 and regular in form. The main fabric is closely made of moss, taken in very small pieces, and matted 

 together with animal fibre, rarely with wool — as the bird does not range so far from the bushes as to 

 be much of a wool-gatherer — but principally with what may be called tree or bark silk, that is, the 

 silken cocoons that cover the chrysalides of insects and the eggs of spiders. These materials are 

 firmly interwoven, but, though the term is sometimes applied to them, they are not felted. The two 

 materials form a stronger fabric than could be made of either of them singly. The moss gives bulk 

 and stiffness, and the silky filaments cohesion ; and, as the birds are microscopic in their vision, they 

 have perfect command over their short bills, and apply these materials by very small portions at a time. 

 The fabric is beautifully put together, and when there are twigs in the way the nest is so closely 

 worked upon them that it cannot be removed entire unless they are taken along with it. Externally 

 it is coated with lichens and liverworts, so closely worked in that not a bit falls off; the inside is 

 carefully lined with feathers, the quills of which are worked into the fabric. The whole nest, dome 

 and all, is lined in this manner, so that when finished it is secure against rain and change of 

 temperature. The entrance is by an aperture in the side, towards the top of the stmcture, and there 

 are in some instances two apertures, the one nearly opposite to the other, the feathers around which 

 are so worked into the fabric as, when not pushed aside by the birds, to form a sort of curtain. The 

 interior is usually of sufficient size to contain both birds during the night, and, in the case of there 

 being two apertures, they sit with the head of the male out at the one and the tail of the female out at 

 the other, so that both apertures are partially closed, and the male is ready to start out as soon as 

 there is light enough for hunting." The first brood is produced by the end of April, and usually 

 consists of from nine to twelve or occasionally fifteen eggs ; these are very small, with delicate white 

 shells, more or less spotted with pale red; many females lay eggs that are quite white. The young 

 are hatched thirteen days after their birth, and during all that time the brooding mother must suffer 

 considerable annoyance from the unwieldy size of her tail, which is generally kept twisted round in 

 the most inconvenient manner : nor are the young more at their ease ; at first, despite their numbers, 

 they manage tolerably well, but as they increase in size each struggles for the warmest place, and 

 pushes at his neighbour until the nest gives way, or is rent in such a manner that the troublesome tail 

 can be thrust out and freer space obtained. 



THE CRESTED TITS (Lophophanes) are distinguished by comparatively slender beaks and 

 the pointed upright crest that adorns the head. India and America have species similar to those we 

 are about to describe. 



THE CRESTED TIT. 



The Crested Tit {Lophophanes cristatus) is mouse-coloured on the upper portion of the body, 

 and greyish white on the under side ; the slender graduated feathers that form the crest, the shafts of 

 which incline forward, are black edged with white ; the region of the cheek is white ; a sickle-sluped 

 stripe across the eyes is black, as is also a line commencing at the nape and extending to the tail ; the 

 quills and tail-feathers are dark greyish brown, with light edges. The eye is brown, the beak black, 

 with pale margins, and the feet dirty light blue. The length of the body is five and its breadth 

 eight inches ; the female is somewhat smaller than her mate. The crest of the young birds is not 

 quite so large, and the markings on their head more indistinct. 



The Crested Tits are spread over Central Europe and North-western Asia, where they prin- 



