108 MARSH-TITMOUSE. 
treated the variations in both as merely those of race. In 
Scandinavia north of lat. 61°, Northern Russia, the Alps and the 
Carpathians, the Continental form is mainly represented by a larger 
and still greyer sub-species, P. dorealis, variations of which are 
found across Asia to Japan. The typical form is distributed through- 
out Central and most of Western Europe down to the Pyrenees ; 
but in Portugal it has not yet been identified, and in Spain, I only 
observed it at Grandda and Cérdova, as did the late Lord Lilford at 
Santander ; while it is rare in Southern Italy and Greece. In the 
latter country, as well as in the rest of South-eastern Europe, Asia 
Minor, and Northern Persia, it is almost replaced by P. dugubris, a 
larger bird, with a dark brown head and a stout bill. 
From the middle of April to May the Marsh-Titmouse makes its 
nest in holes in trees—especially willows and alders, in decayed 
stumps near the ground, or behind loose bark, or in burrows made 
by rats and mice in banks. The bird has been observed to hew 
out its own abode, carefully removing in its bill the chips of wood 
that would otherwise betray the site, and leaving a very narrow 
entrance, although the hole is often of considerable size inside. The 
nest itself is composed of moss, wool, rabbits’ fur and hair felted 
together, and is often lined with willow-down; the 5-8 eggs are 
white, spotted with dull red—sometimes almost liver-colour: measure- 
ments ‘61 by ‘47 in. The alarm-note is a rapidly uttered ay, zay, 
tay, tay, much more metallic than in other species; the song being 
a simple szs, sts, sés, see. The food consists largely of insects, in 
pursuit of which the bird has been seen to thrust its bill under the 
scales of the rough bark of a Scotch fir, and to prize them off with 
a forcible jerk ; in the autumn and winter however, seeds (especially 
those of the sun-flower), beech-mast and berries are consumed ; the 
bird holding them in its claw like a parrot, while getting out the 
edible parts. Its habits during the breeding-season are more retiring 
than those of other Tits. 
Adult: upper part of head and nape glossy black; cheeks dull 
white, turning to buff on the sides of the neck; back olive-brown, 
inclining to grey in Continental specimens; rump rather browner 
olive ; quills and tail ash-brown with the outer margins paler ; chin 
and throat black; remaining under parts dull white, turning to buff 
on the flanks ; bill black ; legs and feet lead-colour. Length 4°5 in. ; 
wing to the tips of the 4th—s5th, and longest quills 2°45 in. The sexes 
are alike in plumage ; in the young the colours are duller and more 
olive-brown. 
