BLACK-HEADED BIRDS. 45 



among the heterogeneous bands of Tits, Goldcrests, 

 and Tree-Creepers which pass through our gardens. 

 The large white nape-patch on the otherwise black 

 hind-neck is the distinguishing mark of a Coal-Tit. 



GREAT TIT— 6 inches ; white nape-patch small ; upper 



parts green and blue ; under parts bright yellow, with 



heavy black central breast-band. 

 MAESH-TIT — 44 inches ; shares the soberer colours of the 



Coal-Tit, but the nape is entirely black. 

 BLUE TIT — 4i inches ; green and blue above ; sides of face 



white, divided by a dark stripe through the eye ; under 



parts bright yellow. 



MARSH-TIT.— Form, like the Goal-Tit (plate 22). 

 Length, 4 J inches. Head, nape, and chin black ; 

 cheeks, sides of neck, and under parts dull- whitish ; 

 back grayish-brown ; wings and tail duskier. Resident. 



Eggs. — 5-8, or more, white, spotted with reddish- 

 brown, more thickly at the larger end ; -61 x '47 inch 

 (plate 123). 



Nest. — Of moss, wool, hair, and willow-down, placed 

 in a hole in a tree, chiefly the willow and the alder, 

 or in a decaying stump. 



Distribution. — General in England and Wales; 

 local in Scotland, chiefly in the south ; in Ireland, 

 from east to north-east, rare. 



The Coal-Tit has a large white nape-patch, the 

 Great and Blue Tits less conspicuous ones ; the Marsh- 

 Tit's distinction is that, its black cap extending com- 

 pletely down the nape, it has no white nape-patoh at 

 all. Lacking the bright colours of the Great and 



