850 PARTD/E. 



and Birds in the British Museum," already referred to, and 

 tlicrc distinguished by the generic term Calamophilus, in 

 reference to its decided partiality to live among reeds. The 

 habits of the only species known are distinct : it lives mostly 

 in marshy places, and builds an open cup-sliaped nest, which 

 is placed on the ground. The food of this species is seeds, 

 insects and their larvee, and small shelled snails. The sides 

 of the stomach in this bird are muscular, and much thicken- 

 ed, forming a gizzard which the true Tits do not possess. 

 This structure of the stomach affords the power of breaking 

 down the shells of the testaceous mollusca referred to, — 

 namely, Succinea amphibia, and Pupa muscorinn, many of 

 which have been found comminuted therein. This bird 

 differs also from the Tits in some other minor characters. 



From the loose, soft, and almost inaccessible nature of 

 the soil at the sides of rivers in which beds of reeds grow, 

 and Avhich are the places mostly frequented by the Bearded 

 Tit, its habits were formerly but little known ; but the com- 

 nmnications of various observers to the different periodicals 

 devoted to Natural History, have lately supplied the de- 

 ficiency. In the month of December, a few years since, a 

 contributor to Mr. Loudon's Magazine, found, after a close 

 search, a flock of eight or ten of these beautiful little crea- 

 tures on the wing, in a large piece of reeds below Barking 

 Creek, in Essex ; " they were just topping the reeds in their 

 flight, and uttering in full chorus their sweetly musical note ; 

 it may be compared to the music of very small cymbals, is 

 clear and ringing, though soft, and corresponds well with the 

 delicacy and beauty of the form and colour of the birds. 

 Several flocks were seen during the morning. Their flight 

 was short and low, only sufficient to clear the reeds, on the 

 seedy tops of which they alight to feed, hanging, like most of 

 their tribe, with the head or back downwards. If disturbed, 

 they immediately descend by running, or rather by dropping. 



