150 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 



receives its food from the parent's beak, fully realising 

 those charming lines, by Grahame 



" But now behold the greatest of this train 

 Of miracles, stupendously minute ; 

 The numerous progeny, claimant for food 

 Supplied by two small bills, and feeble wings 

 Of narrow range ; supplied ay, duly fed 

 Fed in the dark, and yet not one forgot !" 



CALAMOPHILTJS BIAEMICUS (Linnaeus). 

 BEAEDED TITMOUSE. 



This elegant and very remarkable bird, the only 

 known species of the genus Calamopliilus, remains with us 

 throughout the year, but is confined almost entirely to 

 the district of the broads where the swampy nature of the 

 soil and extensive reed beds afford them food and shelter. 

 A long and intimate acquaintance with this species in our 

 eastern fens, enables me to add but little to the admira- 

 ble description of its habits by the late Mr. Hoy (Mag. 

 Nat. Hist., vol. iii., p. 328), as quoted by Tarrell, Gould, 

 and other authors, but I cannot agree with Mr. Hoy in 

 considering "the end of April" as the usual time for 

 these birds to commence building. I have frequently 

 known their nests completed, and the full complement 

 of eggs laid, by the 7th and 8th of April, and others 

 hard set upon by the 17th, which would carry back the 

 commencement of the nests to about the last week in 

 March. I think, therefore, that the beginning of April 

 may be fairly considered the average time, as the 

 instances I have given were in no way referable to any 

 particular mildness in the season, but occurred even 

 when snow and frost prevailed later than usual. The 

 nests are generally placed amongst the reed stems, close 

 to the water's edge, supported on the loose herbage that 



