NESTIXG-SHKIES OF BKITISH BIRDS. 163 



No. 73. LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE. (vEgithalus roseus.) 



Our resident form of the Long-tailed Tit or " Bottle-Tit " is generally 

 distributed throughout the British Islands and ranges thence across 

 France and West Germany to North Italy and the northern part of the 

 Balkan Peninsula. Like its allies, the food consists of insects and 

 their larvse. The oval nest^ formed of moss and wood felted together 

 ■with spiders' webs and encrusted with lichens, is thickly lined with 

 feathers and has the entrance in the upper part of the side. It is 

 usually placed in a bush, such as a hoUy^ whitethorn j or furze, but, 

 occasionally, in the lichen-covered branches of a tree. From seven 

 to ten or more eggs are laid, after about the middle of April ; they are 

 white, with indistinct red spots. 



Suffolk, May. 



Presented by T. Har court-Powell, Esq. 



No. 74. GREAT TITMOUSE. (Parus major.) 



Our largest species of Tit, commonly called the " Ox-eye,'' is generally 

 distributed over the British Islands throughout the year. It feeds 

 chiefly on insects as well as on seeds, nuts, and buds, but as the latter 

 often contain noxious grubs, little real damage is done to the trees. 

 The rather flat nest of moss, hair, feathers, etc., is usually placed in 

 a hole in a tree or wall, but almost any convenient situation may be 

 selected. The eggs are white with light red spots, and vary from 

 six to twelve in number. 



Norfolk, June. 



Presented by Lord JValsingham. 



No. 75. GREAT TITMOUSE. (Parus major.) 



The post- box exhibited in this Case stood in the road at the village 

 of Rowfant, Sussex, and letters, etc., were posted in it daily and cleared 

 by the door. In the year 1888 a pair of " Ox-eyes " began to build 

 their nest in it, but one of the birds was killed before the nest had been 

 finished. 



In 1889 a pair completed the nest, laid seven eggs, and began to 

 sit ; but, one day, when an unusual number of post-cards nearly filled 



