'74 
Rn'irws and Notices of New Books. 
IV. Birds of tlie streams, rivers, lakes, and marshy districts. 
\'. Birds of the sea, seashore and chffs. 
S'condlw siih-dii'idc these groups under: 
(A) Colonr. (B) Size. 
We purpose allowing;' the book to speak for itself, !iy 
reprinting- one of the guide descriptions under (I.) of the first 
grouping-. 
I'.LUE TITMOU.SE (Pants cacnilcus). 
" W'l-ll distributed and coiiinion ; rarer in the North of Scotlan 1. 
Foiind well nisjh everywhere, even in larg'e cities." 
" f'liiiiiagc. — Crown blue encircled with white. Cheeks white 
1 oundeJ with bine: upper parts olive green. Wings and tail blue; under 
parts yellow. liill nearly black. Legs bluish-grey. Length 43i'i. 
Female duller: cheeks ashy. Young less blue throughout and yellower." 
■' Language. — Song, ' pim-im-im-im-im,' First two syllables pitched 
two tones above the rest, and rather metallic in tone. Call-note, 'tzee;' 
also a chiding scolding note." 
" Habi's. — One of our prettiest small birds. It is a kind of acrobatic 
luirltquin, and seems quite as much at home hanging head downwards from 
,1 bough as in any other position. Flight undulating. It readily goes 
to the ground to feed if necessary. On the nest the bird sits tightly, 
hissing, and pecks intruding fingers (hence Billy-biter)." 
"Food. — Insects and their larvae; but failing this practically 
omnivorous." 
" Nesl. — April onwards. Proljably two broods'." 
" Site. — .\ varietv of places, quaint and otherwise. Usually in a 
hole in a wall or tree or other suitable cavity." 
" .Materials. — Moss, leaves, grass, feathers, and cobwebs, lined with 
wool, hair and many feathers." 
" — Five to nine. White, speckled and dotted with pale 
jiurplish brown." 
Tlie book is comprehensive and of a handy size for the 
pt.'cket ; it will fill a want in the hands of the uninitiated. The 
scope of the book is Our Resident Birds, but we think its value 
would have been greatly enhanced if the migrants had been 
briefly tabulated in list form under the respective groupings, as 
the tyro reader will meet niany birds, which the book will give 
him, or her, no clue to — probably this is not the author's fault. 
A. most useful and {practical gift-book for boy, girl or adult, 
