THE LONG-TAILED TITS. 
149 
birds covering their numerous progeny at night, with their long 
tails which seem such a weighty matter to carry in the daytime, 
tucked up side by side in the nest, and resting against the back 
of the latter. They are said to protrude sometimes from the 
entrance hole. . , 
Nest. -An oval structure, large in comparison with the size 
of the tiny architects, beautifully soft, and made principally of 
moss lined With feathers, and covered thickly w.th lichens 
“ey moss, and spiders’ webs. If placed on a moss-covered 
, 0 Lr like that of the Chaffinch, the outside aspect of the nest 
might 5 prevent \ts detection, but the nest of the Long-tailed 
Tit” is generally easy to find, for, unlike the rest of its family, it 
docs not seekthe shelter of a hole in the wall or m a tree. On 
the contrary, the bird builds in various situations, more 01 less 
in the open and often quite early in the year, even before the 
leaves have covered the trees. All kinds or places are selected, 
a thorn-hedge, where its discovery would seem certain, or a Turze- 
bush or holly-tree where the nest is more concealed Sometimes 
the bird builds at a great height from the ground but as a r 
the nest is low down, and within easy reach As an instance 
of the warm lining which the bird provides for its nest, Gou Id 
states that he counted no less than 2000 feathers of various sorts 
in one which he took to pieces. 
Egga— From six to ten or eleven in number Ground-colour 
pearly- or pinkish-white, very finely sprinkled with light reel 
dots, and having underlying dots of purple. Sometimes 
eggs are spotless. Axis, 0-55-0-6 inch ; diam., o 45 0 5- 
THE WHITE-HEADED LONG-TAILED TIT. A5GITHALUS CAUDATUS. 
Parus caudatus, Linn., Syst. Nat. i., P-34 2 (17^®)- . 
Acredula caudata, Koch, Syst. Baier. Zool., P- i99 ( lSl S >- 
Adult ttale.— -Rather larger than vagans, and d, f“"8^ ec 
bv the pure white head without the black band on each side of 
" ftbe inner & fffi 
inches ; culmen, 0-25 ; wing, 2-65 ; tail, 3 -5 » tarsu '» . .?• 
Adult Female— Similar to the male m colour. 
6 inches ; wing, 2-4. 
Total length, 
