M^-^^«v. 



THE BEAEDED TIT. 



CALAMOPHILUS BIARMICUS. 



Head bluish gi-ey ; between the bill and eye a tuft of pendant black feathers pro- 

 longed into a pointed moustache ; throat and neck greyish white ; breast and 

 abdomen white, tinged with yellow and pink ; upper parts light orange-brown ; 

 wings variegated with white, black, and red ; tail long, orange-brown, the 

 outer feathers variegated with white and black. In the female the moustache 

 is of the same colour as the cheek, and the grey on the head is absent. Length 

 six inches. Eggs white, with a few minute specks and streaks of dark red. 



This pretty bird is of local occurrence, being found in con- 

 siderable numbers in several marshy districts where reeds 

 abound, but in others being totally unknown. Their 

 habits resemble those of the true Tits, but instead of 

 spending their lives in trees, they confine themselves to the 

 marshes, and are constantly employed in running up and 

 down the stems of the reeds, hunting for their food, which 

 consists of small molluscs (or water-snails) and the seeds 

 of the reeds. like the Tits, too, they are sociable, always 

 being observed in pairs or families ; not congregating like 

 Sparrows for the sake of mutual protection, but seemingly 



