50 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



Flight.— The flight is generally for 

 very short distances, from one tree or bush 

 to another, and is hurried and performed in 

 a flittering manner. When the flight is of 

 longer duration it beoomes undulating. 



Migration. — This species is resident 

 in this country throughout the year. 



Food. — The food consists of small in- 

 sects, larvae, and berries of various kinds. 

 In search of the former it is ever in motion, 

 peeping, and creeping, and flying from one 

 branch to another, uttering its call-note all 

 the while. It will also eat seed and grain. 

 In the autumn they are very fond of beech 

 nuts, and they will also pick the larvae from 

 the round oak-galls. 



In Confinement it is a lively bird in an 

 aviary. It has a very thoughtful habit of 

 hiding its seed when it has more than is 

 needful for present use. A case is reported 

 of one which was kept in a cage. It emptied 

 the seed-box and hid the seed in one corner 

 of the cage and covered it over. Being left 

 without seed for a day or two the tit had to 

 feed from its store, but ate very sparingly, 

 and always covered it over again. It re- 

 quires great care to keep it healthy in con- 

 finement, and should be fed upon nightin- 

 gale paste, seeds, berries, with "ant eggs" 

 or other insects. It is also very fond of 

 picking a bone. 



Habitat.— This Tit, though not so 

 common as the Blue Tit, is to be met with 

 in all the wooded districts of England and 

 Wales. In Scotland it is much commoner, 

 and is not rare in Ireland. It seems rather 

 partial to old woods, and may be met with 

 in company with other species of Tits. 



Abroad.— Seems to be common almost 

 throughout Europe and in parts of Asia. 



Nest. — This species generally builds in 

 a hole in a bank, such as those made 

 and deserted by mice or moles. Occasionally 

 it will make its nest in a hole in a tree, and I 



Mr. Bond once found one on a branch of fir 

 close to the bole, like a Long-tailed Tit's, but 

 rounder. The following note has been sent 

 me by Mr. Mark Pybus of Newcastle "I 

 possess two nests, both taken in the County 

 of Durham, one containing seven eggs and 

 the other ten. These were taken out of 

 holes. The outsides are composed of moss, 

 internally they are thickly and warmly lined 

 with fur. One of the nests being composed 

 of very clean material, it forms an exceed- 

 ingly pretty back ground for the clutch of 

 eggs." But little can be said as to the 

 construction of the nest of the Cole Tit, for 

 being more of a lining for the cavity into 

 which it is deposited, it is naturally depend- 

 ant upon that for its shape and size. 



Eggs. — The number of eggs vary from 

 six to nine, and are white spotted with 

 red-brown. Mr. Hancock in his " Birds of 

 Northumberland and Durham" records a 

 nest which was taken containing twenty-one 

 eggs, but adds that no doubt these were 

 the produce of more than one female bird. 



Varieties. — Occasionally pure white 

 ones occur. 



A DAY 

 IN SULHAM WOODS. 



By J. Henderson, Heme Hill. 



It is always as well to have an object in 

 view. In entomology as in every other 

 study or pursuit in life, we are frequently 

 enabled to accomplish more than we would 

 otherwise attain by going definitely in 

 chase of a certain object. In writing these 

 notes, copied from an old diary, which every 

 naturalist should keep, it is pleasant to 

 refresh the memory with the records of 

 what at that time I considered to be a good 

 day's work, and I hope that the result will 

 give our North country friends a glimpse of 



