THE LONG-TAILED TIT. 209 



describe a circle with their bills by picking with extreme rapidity 

 all around them, during which operation their weight did not bring 

 to the ground a single leaf, though all were " sere and yellow." 

 Mr. Poole remarks that the coal titmouse feeds much in the season 

 on the berries of woodbine, and that he has observed what ap- 

 peared to be a family of these birds, engaged in carrying the 

 berries one by one to their place of concealment. 



About Aberarder, Inverness-shire, this was the only species of 

 titmouse that came under my observation during September, 1842, 

 and it was common in the plantations, especially those of Scotch 

 fir, to which decided preference was shown. Mr. Macgillivray 

 (vol. ii. p. 442) and Sir Wm. Jardine (B. B. vol. ii. p. 172), give 

 very interesting accounts of its habits. That it does not, how- 

 ever, feed exclusively on insects in Ireland, — as the former author 

 believes it to do in Scotland — I have had proof by finding seeds 

 in its stomach. I have also commonly found fragments of stone, 

 though they have not been met with in the birds examined by 

 Mr. Macgillivray. 



The crested titmouse (P. cristatus) is a British bird confined to 

 Scotland, where it is but little known. Mr. Poole remarks, that its 

 habits do not differ much from those of its congener, the coal titmouse, 

 with which he has seen it associated in the depth of pine forests in 

 Germany. 



THE LONG-TAILED TIT. 



Partes cdudatus, Linn. 



Is pretty widely disseminated over the island. 



This interesting bird, though not well-known, in consequence of 

 its retired and wooded haunts, has long since been recorded as 

 indigenous to Ireland. It appears in the county histories of Cork 

 (Smith's) and Londonderry, and the Natural History of Dublin : 

 — in the last, Rutty remarks that it " was found in the county in 

 the winter of 1768." 



At present, the long-tailed tit is less known in the south 

 than in the north, over which it is diffused, but not plentifully . 



VOL. I. p 



