THE BRITISH LONG -TAILED TITMOUSE. 249 



of crown and nape, mantle, back, rump and upper tail-coverts dark 

 chocolate-brown ; centre of crown extending just on to nape 

 white marked here and there bro'O'n ; scapulars mth distal half 

 Avhitish, tinged pink ; chin, throat, breast and belly white ; some 

 feathers of upper-breast tinged brown ; flanks tinged huffish ; 

 vent pink ; under tail-coverts same but marked here and there 

 blackish ; axillaries and iinder wing-coverts white ; tail black, 

 outer webs of two outer pairs white, tinged bro"uniish (no wedge at 

 tip of imier web as in adult), next j^air %vith only faint M^hitish 

 markings on distal part of outer web ; wing-feathers as adult, 

 but browner, not so black, and inner secondaries "vsith narrower 

 white edgings ; -uing-coverts dark broAvn, inner greater coverts 

 with narrow buffish-white tips and margins. 



First winter. — Like adults. The juvenile plumage is completely 

 (including wings and tail) moulted in Aug. -Sept. 



Measurements and structure. — o "^^'ing- 58-63 mm., tail 80-92, 

 tarsus 16-17.5, bill from skull 6-7 (12 measured). $ wing 58-61, 

 tail 72-87. Primaries : 1st 8-10 mm. longer than primar3'-covert8 

 (in juvenile 11-12 longer) 2nd ec{ual to (or between) 9th or 10th, 

 4th and otli longest, 6tli 1-2 shorter, 3rd and 7th 2-5 shorter ; 3rd 

 to 6th emarginated outer webs. Secondaries about equal 10th 

 primary, tips rounded. Tail graduated, central pair about 5 mm. 

 shorter than next pair which is longest, 3rd pair same length as 

 central pair, 4th pair about 10 mm. shorter, 5th pair about 10 

 shorter than 4th, otiter pair 20 or more shorter than 5th, and 40-50 

 shorter than longest. Tarsal joint feathered. Bill short but 

 fairly strong, culmen curved. Bristle-like feathers covering nostrils. 

 Bodj^ feathers long and loose in structure. 



Soft parts. — Bill black (juv. black with yellowish base and tip) ; 

 legs and feet black-bro-s^n (juv. dull flesh) ; iris dark hazel ; eyelids 

 and orbital ring pink (occasionally brownish -yellow). 



Characters and allied forms. — For allied forms see p. 247. The 

 long graduated tail, white centre of crown, and pink colouring of 

 scapulars, back and flanks distinguish it from all other British 

 species. 



Field-characters. — Delicate pink and grey tints and inordinately 

 long tail render this tiny bird unmistakable. Associates much 

 with other Tits, but is often seen in exclusive bands. White lateral 

 feathers in black tail are conspicuous as the birds pass ^^•ith weak 

 flight from one tree to another. Call-note, a feeble " tsee, tsee " 

 which resembles that of other Tits, is often punctuated b}' a low 

 "tchup," which is very distinctive. 



Breeding-habits. — Builds a large upright ovoid-shaped nest, with 

 entrance hole near top, usually in thorn bushes, furze or brambles, 

 but sometimes also in orchard trees, conifers, oaks, birches, sometimes 

 at considerable heights. Materials used are chiefly moss Qiypmim) 



