BEARDED TITMOUSE. 185 



The only other British form among the Parl- 

 ance is Accentor, one altogether aberrant, but 

 leading away to the Anthi or Pipits, and by them 

 to the next sub-family or Wagtails. The genus 

 is very limited, four species only being known,* 

 two of which have been killed in Britain, another 

 is European, and the fourth has been described 

 from the Himalayan district, and has been sent 

 to us by Mr Hodgson from Nepaul. There is 

 also a bird figured in Lewin's Birds of New 

 Holland, plate XVI. which has always appeared to 

 us as belonging to this genus ; but we have never 

 been able to procure a specimen : if we are cor- 

 rect in this, the range will be more extensive. 

 The habits of these birds are solitary ; the food 

 insects, and in winter small grasses and seeds. 

 Our common native is seldom seen far from cul- 

 tivation ; the two European species frequent the 

 passes of the Alps, climbing among the rocks in 

 search of food ; and we may presume that the 

 Himalayan bird possesses somewhat similar habits. 

 Some are partially migratory from the countries 

 they inhabit. They build a careless nest, and 

 possess a song pleasing, though of little power or 

 variation of note. 



Temminck, in his Supplement, places the rare 

 Motacilla caliope of Pallas with accentor. In this bird 

 the bill is more slender and the gape more lengthened. 

 In the structure of the wings, the third and fourth quills 

 are longest, and nearly equal, and the first is not propor- 

 tionally short, as in the type of accentor. Mr Gould 

 makes a sub-genus, caliope , from it. 



