TITMOUSE. 259 



and London ; in similar places near Gloucester ; as well as among 

 the great tracts of reeds near Cowbit, in Lincolnshire. Colonel 

 Montagu met with them in the reed beds, close to the sea shore, near 

 Wmchelsea, in Sussex ; and Mr. Lamb shot both sexes, in an Islet, 

 about Brigh field Bridge, near Reading, on the 23d of December, 

 and saw at the same time several others. I have also heard of their 

 being in other places. They have been observed at Schonen, in 

 Sweden, but rarely ; very common about the Caspian, and Palus 

 Maeotis, and among thick reeds of the rivers, which fall into them, 

 but in no high latitudes in Asia, nor any in Siberia ; are common in 

 Denmark ;* but how far met with southward on the Continent, is 

 yet unknown ; or whether the species exist in India, as Frisch in- 

 sinuates, when he calls it Indianischer bart Sperling, f As to the 

 nest, and its construction, we are in no certainty about it; one brought 

 to me for such, was composed of very soft materials, suspended 

 between three reeds drawn together. In Sepp's work the nest is on 

 sedgy ground, of a very loose texture, composed of the tops of dried 

 grass, with the seedy heads of rushes and reeds, with narrow leaves 

 among them, the eggs four in number, reddish white, marked with 

 small spots of brown. Kramer says, it makes the nest among the 

 willows, in the shape of a purse, of downy materials, such as that of 

 the Cats Tail, or Asp. It is no wonder, that these birds have not 

 been more early observed as a British Species ; being never found, 

 except in the reed beds, which frequently cover many acres of ground, 

 and growing in the water, are overflowed at every tide : few persons 

 go near them, but at the time of cutting ; which they do in boats ; 

 for except at very low tides, no one can set a foot within their 

 boundaries. 



* Yet it is mentioned by Muller. Edwards says, that the Countess of Albemarle brought 

 a cage full of these birds from Denmark, and from them has probably proceeded the race, 

 at present dispersed through this kingdom. We may, however, be cautious of admitting 

 this as a fact, and may rather suppose them to have originally been here, but overlooked by 

 the early ornithologists. t Frisch, Class. 1. Div. 11. Art. 8. 



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