THE YOUNG NATURALIST 



271 



when the leaves in autumn fall mostly 

 on their faces it presages a severe 

 winter. Various other phenomena of 

 leaves call for remark, such as the 

 transpiration of water, the power of 

 motion, and their carnivorous habits, 

 but the limits of this article precludes 

 their consideration for the present. 



BRITISH BIRDS, THEIR 

 NESTS AND EGGS. 



By S. L. MosLEY. 



Genus VII. Parus, Linn. 



Parus 



The members of this genus are disting- 

 uished by the bill being short and thick, 

 each side of the upper mandible terminating 

 in a broad thin cutting edge. Legs and 

 teet moderately stout, and the wings short 

 and rounded. In this country, where we 

 have seven species, they are all of small 

 size. They are mostly brightly coloured, 

 and abroad attain rich tints of yellow, 

 orange, blue, and black. The Manakins and 

 Cotingas belong to this class. In habits 

 they are very lively, and creep in all kinds 

 of postures over the branches of trees, &c., 

 in search of insects. 



50. GREAT TIT. 

 Parus major, Linn. 

 Major, greatest. 



Size. — Length a little over 6 iii. ; ex- 

 panse, 10 in. 



Plumage.— Bill black; eyes brown; 

 head black, with a large white spot on each 

 cheek and a small one at the nape ; back 

 olive green, shading off to grey on the rump ; 

 greater wing coverts bluish black, edged 

 with greenish and tipped with white ; lesser 



wing coverts greenish ; primaries blackish, 

 edged with lighter colour, and the three 

 first having white on the innner webs ; tail 

 blackish ; throat black ; under parts yel- 

 lowish green, with an irregular broad black 

 line down the centre, extending to the vent ; 

 under tail-coverts white; legs and toes 

 bluish lead-colour. 

 The sexes are similar. 



Young. —Similar to the adults, but much 

 duller in colour. 



Varieties.— Mr, Bond has two varieties 

 in his collection: "One with the head, 

 wings, and tail white ; the body lemon- 

 colour ; the throat dull white ; and the 

 beak, legs, and toes dull whitish horn- 

 colour (this is figured on the plate). The 

 other has the crown of the head, the throat, 

 wings, and tail bluish ash-colour ; back and 

 under parts dull greenish yellow ; bill, legs, 

 and toes lead-colour. The first killed in 

 the New Forest; of the other I have no 

 record. — F.B." Lewin records one with 

 the mandibles crossed. 



Note. — The spring call consists of two 

 notes similar to those of the chiff-chaff, but 

 much louder and more harsh. It has also 

 a coarse chatter; but it has not, nor has 

 any of the Tits, anything which can be 

 called a song. 



Flight.— The flight is generally for 

 short distances, performed by repeated flut- 

 tering of the wings. 



Migration. — Resident in this country 

 throughout the year. In summer-time it is 

 to be met with chiefly in wooded districts ; 

 but in winter it draws nearer to the habita- 

 tions of man, visiting farm-yards, orchards, 

 bird troughs, or even window cills where 

 crumbs are placed for the more sociable of 

 the feathered tribe. 



Food. — The chief food of this species 

 consists of insects, for which it hunts in the 

 crevices of bark or under bits of loose bark, 



