BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 435 



TIT, LONG-TAILED. 



(Acredula rose a.) 

 Order PASSERES -Family PARID^: (TITMICE). 



Description of Parent 

 Birds. Length about five 

 and a half inches, of which 

 the bird's abnormally long 

 tail forms a considerable 

 part ; bill very short, and 

 black. Irides hazel. Fore- 

 head and crown white. A 

 black streak of variable 

 width commences near the 

 base of the bill. and. passing 



YOUNG LONG-TAILED TIT. ,, - 



over the eye and ear-coverts, 



meets on the back of the neck, and descending forms 

 a kind of triangle, the lowest point of which reaches 

 the middle of the back. The scapulars and rump 

 are suffused with a dull purplish-red ; wing-coverts 

 and quills black, the inner ones of the latter edged 

 with white ; upper tail-coverts and six centre quills 

 black, the remainder of the feathers on either side 

 of the tail being more or less white. The feathers 

 of the tail are much graduated in length, those in 

 the centre being about an inch and three-quarters 

 longer than those on the sides. Cheeks and ear- 

 coverts white, the latter mixed with grey. Chin, 

 throat, breast, belly, and under-parts greyish-white, 

 tinged with purplish-red on the sides, flanks, vent, 

 and under tail-coverts ; legs, toes, and claws almost 

 black. 



The female is somewhat similar, with the excep- 

 tion of her head, which has more black upon it ; 



