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
Licence: Public Domain Mark
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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![as tliroughout Europe; said also to in- habit the Capo of Good Hope. Titmouse, Longtailed.— lYarrell, i. 401; lleii'itson, xl. 15M.] Pai'us uaudatus, Liu. Syst. i. p. 34:1, 11; Gmel. Sijst. ii. p. 1010; Itaii Syn. p. 74, A. 5 ; IVill. p. 170, t. 43 ; hid. Orn. ii. p. 001), 20 ; Bewick, Br. Birds, i. t. p. 251. Purus longiuaudatus, Bris. iii. p. 570, 13; Ib. 8vo, i. p. 409. La Me- sange a longue queue, Buf. v. p. 437, 1.19. Long-tailed Titmouse, Br. Zool. i. No. 100 ; Arct. Zool. ii. p. 428, G.; Will.Anyl. p. 242, t. 43 ; Albiu, ii. t. 57, f. 1; Hayes, Br. Birds, t. 33; Lath. Syn. iv. p. 550; Ib. Sup. p. 190; Don. Br. Birds, t. 10; Lewin, Br. Birds, iii. 1.121; Wale. Syn. ii. t. 249 ; Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 10. Pro- vincial : Huckmuck; Bottle-tom; Long- taB-mag ; Longtail-capon ; Longtoil-pie ; Mumrulhn. — This is the smallest of the tribe; the weight about two drams; length five inches and a quarter. The bill is very short and black; hides hazel, edges of the eyelids yeUow. On the crown of the head is a white sti-eak surrounded by black, which, rising at the base of the bill, passes over each eye, and, joining be- hind the head, forms a broad list down the back to the rumi); the rest of the plumage above is of a pm-plish hue; the sides of the head, throat, and under pai-t of the neck white, mixed with grey ; from that to the vent dull purplish; quill-fea- thers black, those next the body edged with grey ; coverts black; the tail consists of twelve feathers of unequal length ; the four middle ones ai'e wholly black, the next has a small white mark on the outer web near the point, the others tipped and obliquely mai’ked with white on the exte- rior webs; the second feathers from the middle are the longest, measuring three inches and a half; the outer feathers on each side only one inch and three-quarters; the legs black. In some the w'hole upjier part of the neck is black, the under parts greyish white, except on the sides and vent, which are of a pale vinaceous-colour; and across the breast is an obscure dusky band. This very elegant and singular species is confined chiefly to the woods and thickets, where it makes a curious oval nest in the fork of some bush or branch of a tree. In this particular it de- viates from the rest of the class, which in- variably build in some hole, the Bearded and Crested Titmice pcrliaps excepted; but which remains to be discovci-ed. The nest of this bird, however, is equidly w'ell secured, being made of white moss and liverwort curiously and fii-mly wove toge- ther with w'ool, covered at tho top, with only a small hole on tho side, and lined wiiii a prodigious quantity of feathers. This singular fabric is a work of time, taking four or five weeks to complete it. Low situations seem to bo its delight, especially about such trees and hedges as are covered with white moss and lichen, amongst which it most commonly places its nest. The egg is less than any British bird, excejjt the Golden-crested Wren, weighing about twelve grains; colour white, sparingly marked with small rust-coloured spots towards the larger end. We are fre- quently told this little creature wiU lay upwards of twenty eggs before it sits ; but we have never been able to find more than twelve, and more frequently only nine or ten. Even this is a surprising quantity of prohfic matter to be produced from so small a body in so short a space of time as ten days, equal to the weight of the bii-d. To supply this great expenditure of ani- mal matter, as weU as the ordinary ex- cretion, a supply of food considerably more than its own weight in that time is absolutely necessary. Its food principally consists of insects and their larvae, in search of which it picks off the buds from the trees. After the young are Bed they keep with the parent birds till the return- ing spring; are continually in motion in search of food, shifting their quarters daily. When in motion it is always utter- ing a small note, by which means they keep together. Supplement.—In the month of July we observed a brood of these birds, consisting of about tw'elve, to constantly frequent a small plantation to roost, for a long time after they quitted their nest. Just as it became dusk in the evening they w'ere ap- parently extremely restless; but by a sin- gular note uttered by one, and as instan- taneously repeated by the whole, they assembled in a moment, and huddled so close together on a branch ns to appear like a ball of down. This assemblage in close contact during the night is probably common to most of the smaller birds for a long time after they leave their nest; for we have observed the same nocturnal at- tachment in young birds brought up in conlinement. Titmouse, Marsh.— [Yarrell, i. 397; Ilcwitson, xl. 157.] Parus palustris, Lin. Syst. i. p. 341, 8 ; Gmel. Syst. ii. p. 1009 ; Jtaii Syn. p. 73, A. 3 ; IVill. p. 175, t. 43 ; Ltd. OriL ii. p. 505, 9; Bris. iii. p. 555, 7; lb. 8vo, i. p. 405. La Mesange de marais, Bvf. V. ]). 403. ^Marsh Titmouse, or Black- cap, Br. Zool. ii. No. 105, t. 57, f. 4; lb. fob 114, t. W. f. 3 ; Arct. Zool. ii. j). 427, E.; Will. Avyl. p. 241, t. 43 ; Albiu, iii. t. 58, f. 1; Lath. Syn. iv. p. 541, 8 ; Ib. Sup. p. 189; Lewin, Br. Birds, iii. 1.119 ; llhlc. Syn. ii. t. 247 ; Bult. Cat. Dorset, p. 10.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28089935_0385.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
