58 



COLE TITMOUSE. 



beak dusky : irides hazel : crown of the head 

 glossy black, with a white spot dividing it behind : 

 cheeks white : throat and under side of the neck 

 black : breast and belly of a yellowish white ; the 

 sides more yellow : quills, back, rump, and tail, 

 of a blueish grey colour ; on the rump inclining to 

 buff: smaller wing-coverts and secondaries tipped 

 with white : legs and claws lead-colour. 



This is abundant in most parts of England, 

 frequenting woods and gardens, but chiefly the 

 former : it lives entirely on insects, and does not 

 seem to be fond of flesh or grain, like many of the 

 species : its nest is placed in a hole in a tree or 

 wall; it is constructed of moss and wool, and lined 

 with hair : its eggs are six or seven in number, 

 white, spotted with rusty red, very similar to those 

 of the preceding species, but the spots are more 

 numerous. 



Dr. Latham appears to doubt whether this and 

 the Marsh Titmouse be distinct ; but they differ 

 so essentially, that we must consider them dis- 

 tinct : this species is much smaller ; has the head 

 of a glossy black ; but the white spot behind the 

 head is never found in the other ; neither has it 

 any white on the wing-coverts, which is always to 

 be met with in this, even in young birds. 



