212 pariDjE. 



lichen however, was not used in the construction of the nest, 

 this being chiefly composed of Parmelice (P. samtilis, fyc), 

 through which Kypna and the egg-nests of spiders were delicately 

 interwoven : the interior was lined with a profusion of soft moss 

 and feathers. 



A note of May 13, 1832, describes, as an amusing sight, a 

 pair of these birds, seen feeding seven young ones, that having 

 left the nest, were clustered together on the branch of a tree, within 

 the space of about six inches. The manner in which a family of 

 long-tailed titmice crowd together for warmth during snow, and in 

 the cold wintry night, has been well described ; (see Habits of 

 Birds, p. 60, and note to p. 171 of White's Selborne, ed. 1837,) 

 but that it is the ordinary habit of the species, and not consequent 

 on the piercing breath of winter, is indicated in the following 

 note, dated, July the 5th, 1833. "Mr. Win. Sinclaire remarks, 

 that some days ago, he was much entertained by observing a family 

 of about ten or twelve long-tailed titmice going to roost in com- 

 pany, when each individual endeavoured to get as near the middle 

 of the group as possible, and that enviable situation was no sooner 

 attained by a few, than those from the outskirts used all their 

 efforts to insinuate themselves towards the centre, and foiled in this, 

 next exerted their powers to avoid being placed outside — in all 

 respects just the winter practice." A similar proceeding on the 

 part of the gold-crested regulus is described by Mr. Herbert, in a 

 note to White's Selborne (p. 180, ed. 1837). So many as 

 twenty long-tailed titmice have been seen in company about 

 Belfast. 



The stomachs of four of these birds killed in January and 

 March, were, (with the exception of two seeds in one of them,) 

 entirely filled with insects, among which the remains of minute 

 coleoptera were in every instance discernible. 



M. Temminck describes the female only as having the black 

 streak over the eyes ; Mr. Jenyns considers it common to both 

 sexes : in nine specimens of P. caudatus now before me, this 

 marking is apparent, but in some individuals is much better de- 

 fined than in others ; in one only of them the sex was observed. 



