The Blue Tit 



I.t is common and generally distributed throughout our 

 islands, becoming rather scarce and more local in the north- 

 west of Scotland. 



THE CRESTED TIT 



Parus cristatus, Linnaeus 



A few favoured spots in Scotland are the only resorts of 

 this bird in our islands. 



It is a forest species, haunting pine woods, from which 

 it seldom wanders far. Like the Marsh Tit, it frequently 

 excavates its own nesting-hole, which is generally at no 

 great distance from the ground. In all its actions and 

 habits it resembles its congeners. 



The sexes are alike. The general colour above is olive 

 brown, beneath white, turning to buff on the flanks. The 

 feathers of the head are black, broadly edged with white 

 and prolonged into a conspicuous crest. A black streak 

 runs backwards from the eye on each side to join its fellow 

 on the nape, whence it turns forward and encircling the 

 cheeks, which are white mottled with black, joins up with 

 the black chin. Length 4*5 in. ; wing 2 - 5 in. 



The young are duller and have hardly any crest. 



THE NUTHATCH 



Sitta cassia, Wolf 



The Nuthatch is fairly well distributed over the 

 woodland portions of our southern and midland counties, 



81 ii 



