PENDULINE TIT. 19 



tlie centre of the nest with softest down of the willow, 

 and then closes up one of the openings. It strengthens 

 the outside with a greater quantity of willow-down, to 

 which it often adds tufts of sedge, reeds, and thistles, 

 and then diminishes the other opening, and forms a 

 projecting conduit or passage. It uses no animal pro- 

 duction in this construction, which takes about four 

 weeks to complete. This is the real form of these nests, 

 all those with two openings being imperfect constructions, 

 and the error has been perpetuated in consequence of 

 the female commencing to lay eggs before the nest is 

 completed, in which both male and female assiduously 

 engage. If the process of sitting commences before the 

 nest is finished, the work is carried on by the male 

 alone. There are very few places in the kingdom of 

 Poland where the Eemitz builds. The locality is generally 

 some large pond covered with rushes and bushes, situ- 

 ated on the right hand shore of the Vistula, and in the 

 vast wooded marshes found in the neighbouring country 

 of Paleria — the low and marshy part of Minsk, Volhynia 

 and Grodno. There are a few which nest on the shores 

 of the Vistula, but none have been found on the left 

 side of the river. 



The nest is placed on different species of poplar, 

 willow, and alder, situated from one to fifteen metres 

 or more above the ground; lowest on the osiers, and 

 highest on the poplars. They are not always suspended 

 over the water; more frequently over the ground, 

 but always in places surrounded by water. I have never 

 found them in thickets, but in spots more or less open. 

 In the thick osier grounds they are only found at the 

 edges of the openings and glades. The nest is very 

 easy to find when building, or when the brood is young, 

 for then the parents are always at hand, and give 



