22 



PENDLLINE TIT. 



variety or race of that species. I have, however, been 

 favoured by Mr. Wheelwright, of Gadsjo, near Carlstadt, 

 in Sweden, with some remarks about this bird, which 

 I will insert. Mr. W., who has had many opportunities 

 of observing this and others of our most interesting 

 European species, writes to me, — 



"It so much resembles our Marsh Tit, both in habit 

 and appearance, that I really think it can hardly be 

 called a separate species. There are, however, the fol- 

 lowing differences, which are constant: — 



Palustris. — -Head glossy silk black; cheeks and sides 

 of the neck white, rather tinned with black; back 

 blackish grey brown. The edge of the outer web of 

 wing feathers a little paler than the back. 



Borealis. — Head walnut dull black; cheeks and sides 

 of the neck clear white; back grey. The edge of the 

 outer web of wing feathers nearly clear white. 



In Borealis the tail is longer and different in con- 

 struction. The outer tail feather is about two and a 

 half or three lines longer than the middle one, which 

 is nearly as long as the longest in the tail. The outer 

 feather is considerably shorter than the other. In 

 Palustris, on the contrary, the outer tail feathers are 

 generally of the same length as the middle ones, and 

 always only about a line shorter than the longest in the 

 tail. 



Nilsson is of opinion that the species are distinct, and 

 Kjasrbolling agrees with him. 



If I remember right the. British Marsh Tit always 

 builds its nest with moss, etc. Now the nest of our P. 

 borealis is always built of the fine under bark of the 

 dead alder tree. That of the Crested and Blue Tit of 

 moss, and sometimes feathers. 



P. borealis is very common in the south of Sweden, 



