COLE TITMOUSE. 
173 
reaches to the most northern counties of Scot- 
land ;* but we consider its most favourite stations 
to be extensive and retired woods, particularly 
those of pine, in a sub-alpine country, where it 
spends its summer and rears its young, and 
whence, on the approach of autumn, it removes 
to the lower and warmer woods, rambling in small 
troops from clump to clump, or from one wood 
to another, and marking their progress by an 
incessant shrill call. It breeds in holes, generally 
preferring the locality tve have mentioned, but 
sometimes also choosing a lower territory. The 
nest is placed in the hole of some bank or 
low rock, and less frequently in any high station, 
or in holes of trees ; last summer we found it in 
a hole in a stone and lime wall, about two feet 
from the ground ; it is composed of warm mate- 
rials, and the eggs are from six to nine or ten, 
white, with reddish spots, chiefly on the thicker 
end. During the season of pairing and incuba- 
tion it utters, like the Greater Titmouse, a shrill 
harsh note, continued for some time, and still 
more closely resembling the sharpening of a saw. 
Its extra-British range extends over Northern 
Europe, f and also as far south as Italy 4 to 
Siberia, § and probably Northern Asia, also 
Japan. || 
Crown of the head, nape, and throat, black, 
* Selby, in Jameson’s Journal. 
t Mr W. Christie, Ent. Mag Nilson. 
$ Prince of Musignano, in Yarrell, British Birds. 
5 Pennant. II Temm. supp. to Ois. d’ Europe. . 
