note, which is very frequently uttered, resembles the words chica-chica-chee-chee-chirr-r-r 5 it
rance to a more lengthened strain.

eggs ; for, rather than desert th
will return to the vest and ¢
nd manifests
fine wood-shavings interwoven with moss ;

Its saucy
also gives utter

No bird sits more closely on its em, the female will allow herself to be
taken by the hand, and, if released,
hed, she becomes fierce, a
ssly composed of
The eggs, ten in number, before bemg blown,

ontinue the task of incubation ; but
immediately the young are hate unequivocal dislike to intrusion.

A nest taken at Taplow in May, 1859, was carele
the interior was warmly lined with wool, hair, and feathers.
were of a dull fleshy white, spotted with reddish
ir yelk, the ground-colour
lly keep together daring the first
bery in which they were bred, but in winter range widely over the neig
the spring all that have escaped the natural enemies which interfere with their well-being
separate into pairs and follow the example of their parents.

The colouring of the nestling birds is very singular, and quite different from that of the adults. The
cheeks, the throat, the forehead, the back of the head, and the nape, which are all white in the old bird, are
of a rich and beautiful yellow at this young age. This very striking character is common to the young of this
Coal-, and the Great Tit, but not to those of the Marsh-Tit. How long this yellow colouring iS
iged for the adult livery there can be little doubt, for in mid-

, and not so transparent as the eggs of small birds generally
became of a beautiful opaque white.

are; when emptied of the
autumn, and frequent the garden or shrub-

The progeny of a nest genera
hbouring woods, coppices, and hedge-

rows ; early in

species, the
retained I do not know; but that it 1s soon exchat
winter both adults and young are alike to a feather.

There is no outward difference in the appearance of the sexes; neither are they subject to any seasonal
change.

The forehead, a line over the eye to the back of the crown, cheeks, and ear-cove
the base of the bill through the eye to the occiput deep bluish black ; crown of the head blue; str
of the throat, and a band which crosses the throat and passes upwards to the neclaas the head,

rts bluish white ; line from
ipe down
the centre
deep prussian blue ; back and upper tail-coverts light yellowish green ; wing-coverts deep blue, the greater
: . 0 : . - es p as i We . : . 2)
ones tipped with white; primaries slaty black, narrowly edged with pale ereenish blue, fading into white on
the apical portion of the longest feathers ; secondaries bluish, narrowly margined and largely tipped with
white ; tail blue; under surface pale sulphur or greenish yellow, with a longitudinal stripe of prussian
blue down the centre of the abd arg f of i . ;
ydomen : ° 2 7 . Hd 9 + . -

ee 5; . ; omen; margins of the wing-feathers white on the under surface ; under side
of the tail pearl-grey ; cy horn-c -: legs, toes, < i

e ail pee a ; bill dusky horn-colour; legs, toes, and claws bluish black. ‘

1e young nestlings have the same arrang : : es ‘ i
a g gs he ame arrangement of the colours; but the forehead, line over the eye to the
ee , face, ear-coverts, and under surface are pure yellow, and they have also a band of yellow at the base
of the neck behind ; Pee Ce RnCnrati eee ’ |
e neck behind ; the gape, which is very wide and fleshy, is of a bright geamboge-yellow ; the mandibl

are yellow, clouded with reddish brown ; inside of the mouth ora le ‘ 1 fe A bl ee.
ee range ; legs and feet blue; round the eye %
circle of naked bluish skin. : os

mp J Nye . , « 2

he Plate represents two adults of the natural size.