. British birds. Birds. OTES. THE NESTLING OF THE CRESTED TIT. As I am unable to find any adequate description of the nestling Crested Tit {Parus c. scoticus), the following observa- tions may be of some interest to ornithologists. When staying in Inverness-shire recently, my friend Mr. R. G. Todd and I examined a nest containing newly-hatched young, and were surprised to find that, although otherwise almost naked, they all had a well-developed tuft of hair-like down on top of the head. We then examined some unhatched eggs and found that even the embryo chick has this peculiar characteristic o
. British birds. Birds. OTES. THE NESTLING OF THE CRESTED TIT. As I am unable to find any adequate description of the nestling Crested Tit {Parus c. scoticus), the following observa- tions may be of some interest to ornithologists. When staying in Inverness-shire recently, my friend Mr. R. G. Todd and I examined a nest containing newly-hatched young, and were surprised to find that, although otherwise almost naked, they all had a well-developed tuft of hair-like down on top of the head. We then examined some unhatched eggs and found that even the embryo chick has this peculiar characteristic of a long, clearly formed crest even in the earliest stages. The interior of the mouth is bright lemon- yellow, with darker 3'ellow tongue and centre and no tongue- spots. Clifford Borrer. [I can confirm the fact that a long and well-defined crest is present in the embryo, from personal observation in May 1916. One hair-like tuft seems to spring from just above the eye, one from the occiput, and in one case one from the forehead. There are also two hair-like tufts on the back.—F. C. R. JOURDAIN.] PROBABLE LESSER GREY SHRIKE IN NORTHUMBERLAND. On April 9th, 1921, I saw a Lesser Grey Shrike {Lanius minor) at Seaton Sluice on the coast of Northumberland, and had it under my direct observation for half an hour or more. It was sitting on the top of a thorn fence on the edge of the dene. As an abrupt hill rose immediately behind the bird I could make out its darker forehead as compared with a Great Grey Shrike (L. excnhitor), while the whole bird was also darker and smaller than the latter. The single white wing-bar which showed became more marked when the bird took flight. A strong offsea wind prevailed at the time and the bird was obviously tired. I may add that I am familiar with the species, which I have shot in Egypt and also possess a mounted Great Grey Shrike. W. Raw. BLACKBIRD LAYING IN NEST OF SONG-THRUSH. On April ist, 1921, my brother found a nest of a Song-Thrush {Ttirdu
Size: 1484px × 1684px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherl, booksubjectbirds
