{ 138 ) 

 NOTES ON THE BEARDED TIT. 



BY 



E, L. TURNER, hon. mem. b.o.u. 

 [Plate 4.] 



If the bird-photographer is ever in the unhkely position 

 of being in want of work during the few brief weeks at 

 his disposal, time spent in watching Bearded Tits {Panurus 

 hiarmicns) and their fascinating ways, is never M'asted, 

 They are so absohitely absorbed in the details of their 

 own domestic life to the exclusion of all outside interests ; 

 and in addition to their natural beauty and grace, so full 

 of surprises and devoid of fear : that one can always find 

 out something new concerning their habits. Perhaps, 

 however, these characteristics are more prominent in the 

 female than in the male, for the latter is less confiding, 

 unless robbed of his mate, and very shy of the camera. 



This last June I put up my tent beside a nest about a 

 week before attempting to photograph its occupants. 

 So long as the tent alone was there, neither of the adult 

 birds showed any fear, but when once the lens appeared 

 the male bird's courage vanished. He was the first to 

 return as soon as I had settled in, and always brought a 

 very large green caterpillar, which he himself eventually 

 swallowed in sheer fear, and would not repeat his visits, 

 though diligent in collecting flies for his mate, who showed 

 no alarm. This cowardice on the part of the coclv was 

 obviously a source of annoyance to the hen, for, Avhen 

 weary with the extra exertion entailed upon her b}^ his 

 defections, she would brood over the young, during which 

 time she evidently expected the cock to bring supphes. 

 However, he did nothing but run to and fro behind the 

 nest. This caused her to ruffle up her feathers and make 

 sundr}'^ short, sharp r<>marks in nns\^er to his grumbling, 

 finally darting at him and driving him away. Having 

 thus reheved her feehngs, she set to work with redoubled 

 energy. This little by-play occurred about every hour. 



