A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman.

George Montagu

Date:: 1866

Credit: A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$Tima.—See Oyster-catcher. [Tit. — An abbre^hatecl form of the word Titmouse, adopted by Gould and Yarrell. Pennant, Bewick, Montagu, Fleming, Selby and Jenyns, correctly employ the more famihar name of Titmouse. Tit is also applied to designate the Pipits.] [Titlark.—See Lark, Tit.] Titling.—See Warbler, Hedge [also Ac- centor, Hedge.] Titmouse. — A genus of birds, the cha- racters of which are: Bill strait, a little compressed, strong, hard, shnrp-poiuted. Nostrils round, and covered with reflected bristles. Tongue truncated, the end ter- minated by three or four bristles. Toes divided to their origin; back-toe long and sti'ong. • Titmouse, Bearded.— \_Yarrell, i. 406; Hewitson, xl. 161.] Parus biarmicus, Lin. Syst. i. p. .348, 12; Gmel. Syst. ii. p. 1011; Ind. Orn. ii. p. 570, 23. Paims barbatus, Bris. iii. p. 567,12 ; Ib. 8vo, i. p. 468. Le Mesange barbue, on la Moustache, Buf. v. p. 518, t. 18. Least Butcher-bird, Edw. t. 55. Bearded Titmouse, Br. Zool. i. No. 167 ; Ih. fol. 74, t. C. 2 ; Arct. Zool. ii. p. 428, H.: Albin, i. t. 48 ; Lath. Syn. iv. p. 552, 20 ; Ib. Sttp. p. 190; Bon. Br. Birds, i. t. 1; Ost. Menag. p. 78, t.; Lewin, Br. Birds, iii. t. 122 ; Wale. Syn. ii. t. 148. — This very elegant species is about the size of the Blue Titmouse, but, on account of the length of tail, is much longer, mea- suring about six inches and a quarter. The bill is near half an inch long, of an orange-colour, difi’eiing somewhat from tlie rest of the genus, being a little arcu- ated ; the upper mandible longest; hides yellow. The head is pale ash-colour; be- neath the eye is a tuft of loose black fea- thers, ending in a point downwards ; the hind part of tire neck and back light ni- fous-orange; scapulars wLitish; throat white ; breast cinereous flesh-colour; belly, sides, and thighs like the back, but paler; vent black ; quill-feathers dusky; the inner webs of the primaries white ; the second- aries edged, and tliose next the body tipped with the same colour as the back; the tail is about three inches long, and very cuneiform, nearly the colour of the back; the three outer feathers more or less tipped with white; legs black. The female difiers in having no black mark under the eye or at the vent; the head is light ferruginous, spotted with black; be- tw'een the bill and eye a dusky spot. The history of this species is veiy little known, the whole year. It is found in the marshes amongst the reeds between Erith and London, in Gloucestershire, and amongst the great reedy tracks near Cowbit in I.an- cashire. We have also lulled it near AVin- chelsea in Sussex, amongst the reeds close to the sea-shore, in tlie month of June; there were five together, doubtless the brood of that year. One of the young which wo procured had its nestling fea- thers much the colour of the female ; but the feathers were of a looser texture, as in all young bii-ds. AVe took much pains to find the nest, but without success, unless it is so like that of the Reed AVren’s as not to be distinguished, as that bird bred in the same place, and many such nests were taken. Authors have differed with respect to the shape and composition of the nest, as w^ell as in the place of nidification ; one making it the shape of a purse suspended to a branch of a willow; another gives it placed on the ground amongst sedge of a loose texture, composed of the down of the reed intermixed with narrow leaves ; and that it lays four eggs of a reddish white, spotted w'ith brown; others have un- doubtedly taken the nest of the Reed AAT-en for it; so that no certain conclusion is to be drawn from these various accounts. The Bearded Titmouse does not apjoear to inhabit any other places but such where reeds grow' in abundance, w'hore it no doubt makes its nest; aud on the seeds of which, as well as insects, it feeds ; and we may attribute this desideratum in the na- tural history of this bird to the inaccessible swampy places they frequent. It has been by various authors ranked with the Butcher-bird or Shrike, and was called Least Butcher-bird in a former edition of the ‘ British Zoology,’ but afterwards re- moved, by that celebrated author Mr. Pen- nant into this genus. Supplement.— In a recent edition of Pennant’s ‘ British Zoology ’ we observe that by some unaccountable mistake our description of the nest and egg of the Long-tailed Titmouse has, in a marginal note, been transferred to this species. We therefore take this opportunity of correct- ing the error, as we still consider that part of the natural history of the Bearded Tit- mouse to be in great obscurity, and should bo much obliged for any authentic in- formation upon that head. The necessity of noticing this little error is obviously that of a rigid regard for Science. [The nest of this species is now well known ; it is built of coarse grass or rushes, on or near the ground ; the eggs are white, sparingly marked w'ith i^ale red lines and scratches.]$