THE MARSH TITMOUSE. 41 



of the fens, may be said to be becoming extinct in 

 many localities where it was formerly plentiful. It is 

 a perfectly harmless bird from an economic point of 

 view, and very useful as a destroyer of the pests of 

 our marshes. 



The beak is orange, and the irides bright yellow ; 

 under and in front of the eyes is black, and the 

 feathers at the sides of the cheeks hang down in a 

 strip or moustache ; hence its name. These can be 

 raised when the bird is excited. The head, neck, 

 and auriculars are blue-gray, shading into light pink 

 on the chest. The back and lower parts are yeHow- 

 ish-brown, the two outer feathers gray, with a white 

 edge; the secondaries dark brown, edged with 

 orange-brown ; the inner webs yellowish-white, with a 

 longitudinal stripe. In the female the colours are 

 less bright, the crown is dull brown ; the tail has the 

 inner webs of the three outer feathers brownish- 

 black, and the under parts are pale brown or yellow- 

 ish-white. The moustache is the same colour as the 

 neighbouring feathers. The female is smaller than 

 the male. Mr. Yarrell says the young have a black 

 beak, and the wings and tail are patched with black, 

 and the under surface fawn-colour. The moustache is 

 a narrow black line. The full-grown bird is about 6 

 inches long. 



The Marsh Titmouse (Parus palustris) has become 

 rare in Scotland, but is still abundant in the fenny 

 districts of England. It has so peculiar a note that 

 it is not easily mistaken for any other bird. It fre- 

 quents low, marshy districts, and generally builds in 

 a pollard or old willow-tree. The nest is more care- 



