I3§ ALLEN’S NATURALIST’S LIBRARY. 
Pants britannicus , Sharpe and Dresser, B. Eur., iii., p. 93, p], 
i°7, fig. 2 (1872); B. O. U. List Br. B., p. 26 (1883); 
Seeb., Brit. B., i., p. 472 (1883); Wyatt, Brit. B., pi. 4, 
fig. 3 (1894). 
Adult Male. — -Similar to P. ater, but distinguished by the 
olive-brown, instead of slaty-blue, back, and by the richer buff- 
colour of the sides of the body. Total length, 3-9 inches; 
culmen, 0-4 ; wing, 2-35 ; tail, 1-65 ; tarsus, 0-65. 
Adult Female. — Similar to the male in colour. Total length, 
3’8 inches ; wing, 2 - 35. 
Young — Differs from the adult exactly as the young of P. 
ater differs from the adults, having the white parts of the plu- 
mage pale sulphur-yellow. 
Note. Like the Great Tit, the present species has a black head, a white 
nape-patch, white cheeks, and a black throat. It may, however, always 
be distinguished from that species by its much smaller size and plain- 
coloured breast, the under surface not being yellow as in the Great Tit, nor 
has it the very evident black band down the centre of the breast and 
abdomen. 
Kange in Great Britain. — Found nearly everywhere, but in most 
places not so plentiful as the other species of British Tits. It 
is met with especially in Scotland, as far north as Sutberland- 
shire and Caithness, but is not found in the Outer Hebrides, 
nor in the Shetland or Orkney Isles. 
Habits. — In most parts of England the Coal-Tit is a rare 
bird, or at least is not so often noticed as the other species. 
Since the severe winter of 1881 there are many places, where 
the Coal-Tit was comparatively plentiful, which know it no 
more, whereas in the same districts the Marsh-Tit has increased 
in numbers. Near London the latter bird is not often seen, 
but Coal-Tits frequent our garden at Chiswick every winter, 
and share the food which we supply for Tits in general. In 
the pine-woods of Scotland, however, the Coal-Tit is a com- 
mon species, and its call-note is often heard, without which 
signal it would be easy to pass the bird over, as it is not only 
of such small size as to escape observation, but it frequents the 
thickest woods and is not easily seen. Occasionally it comes 
to the outside of a fir-tree, when it may be observed hanging 
on to a cone and extracting its food. As is the case with most 
