THE BEARDED TIT. 39 



ran upwards as usual. The chamber was very near 

 the surface. The nest was taken at Backbrook, St. 

 Neots, Hunts, April 20, 1861." I may add that Mr. 

 Rowley was at one time a most intimate correspondent 

 of mine, and furnished me with most valuable ma- 

 terial for study and comparison in the way of nests, 

 eggs, and young birds found in his native county 

 of Huntingdon. I have had or seen about a dozen 

 kingfishers' nests, and they all but one consisted of 

 disarticulated fish-bones. The eggs are nearly round, 

 of a beautiful pure white, with a lustre surpassing most 

 white eggs, quite inimitable by art. 



The Kingfisher has the mandible dark brown ; the 

 inside of the mouth, the base of the maxillae, and 

 the feet are orange-red colour. The head, wings, 

 and upper parts of the body are olive-green ; the 

 edges of the feathers are bordered with bright verdi- 

 gris-blue, which shows most brilliantly in the wings 

 and back when the bird is flying. The quills are 

 dark brown, edged with olive-green, as is the under 

 part of the tail ; the upper is brilliant blue. There is 

 a line of dull blue from the maxilla to the back, and 

 a spot of white on the neck. The chin and throat 

 are yellowish-white, and the under parts orange- 

 brown. In the female the colours are less decided 

 and brilliant. 



The Bearded Tit (family Paridcz, Calamophilus 

 biarmicus) is a bird so characteristic of the fenny 

 districts as to be deserving of a place in this work. 

 It differs very materially in structure from the true 

 tits, from which the genus was separated by Dr. 

 Leach. Its habits are entirely aquatic. It delights 



