248 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



One said to have been obtained at Dover (Kent) prior to 1889, is at 

 Rochester {Hist. Birds Kent, p. 76). Pair seen probably of this 

 race, Bradfield (Essex), Mar. 22, 1912 (W. B. Nichols, Brit. B., v, 

 p. 328). Four seen Uist (Slietlands) April, 1860, may have been 

 this form. Others recorded as seen and M. A. Mathew {B. of 

 Devon, p. 34), says he received one shot near Cambridge. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — North and east Europe to Siberia and 

 north Japan ( Yesso) ; in winter vagrant and appearing in central and 

 west Europe. Replaced in central and south Europe, Asia Minor, 

 Caucasus, Crimea, Persia, China and south Japan by other races. 



105. iEgithalos caudatus roseus (Blyth)— THE BRITISH 

 LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE. 



Mecistttea rosea Blyth, in Gilb. White, Nat. Hist. Selborne, p. Ill 



(1836— England). 



Mecistura vagans Leach, Cat. Mamm. Birds Brit. Mus., p. 17 (1816 — 



Xo description). 



Mecistura longicauda MacGillivray, Hist. Brit. B., 11, p. 454 (part). 



Acredula caiidata (Linnsieus), Yarrell, i, p. 504 (part) ; Saunders, p. 101 



(part) ; A. c. rosea (Blyth), Hartert, Brit. B., i, p. 217. 



Description (Plate 10). — Adult male and female. Winter. — Fore- 

 head, centre of crown and nape white, marked here and there brown 

 or brown-black ; on each side of crown and nape broad black line 

 extending from front of eye (ocasionally from base of bill) to mantle ; 

 upper-mantle black ; rest of mantle and back black mixed vnth 

 varying amount of pink ; scapulars and rump mostly pink with 

 some black markings and tij^s of feathers whitish ; upper tail- 

 coverts black ; lores, chin, and throat dull white ; ear-coverts 

 and sides of neck whitish, streaked brown ; upper-breast with an 

 indistinct band formed by small dark brown tips to some of the 

 feathers ; centre of breast and belly pinkish-white ; sides, flanks, 

 and under tail-coverts pink, feathers tipped white ; axillaries and 

 under tail-coverts white ; tail black, two outer pairs Avith outer webs 

 and large wedge-shaped mark at tip of inner web white, next j^air 

 same but only distal half of outer web white ; primaries bro^Aii- 

 black, inner webs fringed white ; secondaries same but outer webs 

 also fringed wliite or buffish-white narrowly on outer feathers, 

 broadly on four innermost ones, which are paler and browner than 

 others ; primary-, median and lesser coverts black ; outer greater 

 coverts same but inner ones brown, tipped white and margined 

 pink and white. This plumage is acquired by complete moult 

 in Aug. -Sept. Summer. — No moult. Abrasion of wliite tips of 

 feathers makes pink of upper-parts and flanks somewhat darker. 



Nestling. — DoAvn absent ; mouth inside and gape externally 

 yellow (J. H. Owen). 



Juvenile. — Fore-head, lores, ear-coverts, sides of neck, sides 



