GREAT TIT. 
P AllUS MAJOR. 
Ix England this bold and lively bird is plentifully dispersed over most of the wooded portions of the country. 
It becomes less numerous after crossing the Scotch border ; and I can call to mind but few instances where 
I have met with it further north than Perth. On the Outer Islands, according to my own experience, it seems 
to be unknown. 
I have never noticed in this species the habit, so common with most other Titmice, of assembling in 
flocks during the winter, two, three, or four being, as a rule, the greatest numbers seen together. They 
appear particularly hardy and regardless of cold. I observed a pair during the severe weather in January 
1881, which joined for a few moments the large party of pensioners busily engaged with the food provided 
for them in front of the windows. After flying down and hurriedly inspecting the bones and scraps of 
meat, they were up and off at once, the rest of the party being almost helpless from the effects of the continued 
frost. 
I do not know whether we are regularly visited by these birds from across the North Sea ; I, however, 
noticed a single specimen among the feathered passengers that had come on board for rest and shelter, one 
stormy evening about the middle of October, a few miles east of the ‘ Newarp ’ light-ship. The wind was 
north at the time, blowing fresh after a still morning. When I was making inquiries among the light-sliips 
off the east coast concerning the birds that came on board the vessels during the autumn migration, I 
could gain no information concerning this species; so I imagine that few, if any, visit us from across the 
i ort i Sea. The masters or others of the crew kindly undertook to cut off the right wings of all the birds that 
fell on board; these were forwarded to me from time to time, together with a few remarks as to wind and 
weather at the time large numbers were obtained; and by these means I was able to form some idea of the 
seasons at which the flights were passing across the North Sea. During the autumn and winter of 1872, and 
spnngand summer of the following year, I received thousands of wings from the ‘Newarp’ ‘Cockle’ 
Lynn Well,’ and ‘ Leman and Owcr ’ floating light-sliips 1 ’ 
