100 RUDDY-BREASTED BIRDS. 



having tails at all resembling those of the Long- 

 Tailed Tits, by reason of their length and the con- 

 spicuously white outer tail-feathers, are the Wagtails ; 

 but the Wagtails are 7 -inch birds, and ground -feeders. 



BEARDED TIT— 6| inches; tail, 3^ inches. Head blue 

 gray, with black moustaches ; upper parts and tail bright 

 ruddy -brown, with white pattern on the outer tail- 

 feathers ; under parts whitish, tinged with rose on the 

 throat and breast ; wings bright brown, patched with 

 white and black. A very rare 1)ird, occurring now only 

 in the reed-beds of the Norfolk Broads. 



RED-BACKED SHRIKE.— Plate 45. 7 inches. 

 Head and nape bluish -gray, a broad, black band 

 passing across each eye ; upper parts chestnut, be- 

 coming gray towards the tail ; wings dark brown, 

 with ruddy edgings to the feathers ; tail black, but 

 white at the base of all but the central feathers ; 

 under parts pink ; bill (hooked) and feet black. 

 Female: upper parts and tail brown, latter with- 

 out white side feathers, but tipped huffish ; below, 

 buff instead of pink, barred with brown. Summer 

 migrant. 



Eggs. — 4-6, variable, some having cream gi'ound, 

 broadly zoned about the larger end with confluent 

 blotches of yellowish-brown and gray ; others having 

 a greenish or pinkish ground-colour; "88 ^ "65 inch 

 (plate 125). 



Nest. — Of dry grass, roots, and moss, lined with 

 fine grass, wool, and hair, and placed usually in a 

 thorn-hedge. 



Distribution. — Southern and central England up 



