THE BEARDED-TIT 



the onslaughts of rabid egg collectors ; and since the breeding area of 

 this species is, for some reason or other, so restricted, and as its natural 

 enemies are many, no efforts for its protection should be relaxed. 



Not oidjf ii the " bearded-reedling," or " reed-pheasant," as it 

 is locally called, practically confined to the Norfolk Broads district, 

 but its actual breeding area is even more limited, for it is extremely 

 restricted in its habitat, being abundant in some places, and scarcely 

 known to nest in others. 



There is one fact connected with the breeding of the bearded-tit 

 which has hitherto been overlooked by its biographers. However 

 fond these birds may be of the reed-beds proper, their nests will 

 almost always be found in a mixture of sedge and " gladden " which 

 is the loot! name for the reed-mace. At least nine out of ten of those 

 I have examined have been thus situated. 



It is a comparatively easy task to mark down a pair of reed- 

 pheasants and find the site of their nursery, but the discovery of the 

 actual nest itself is another matter. It usually means wading ankle 

 or knee deep in water, through dense masses of sedge, the sharp 

 edges of which are apt to catch and cut one's hands unmercifully. 



I shall never forget my first introduction to bearded-tits. I had 

 been punted close to a thick sedge bush by a man known as " Lame 

 Jack," who only had the use of one hand, and yet could manage any 

 kind of small craft With this one hand he held on to the sedges and 

 told me to part them and look in. In my excitement and absolute 

 ignorance of the nature of my surroundings, I stepped out of the punt 

 to get a clearer view before my companion could utter a word of 

 warning, and immediately found I was immersed up to the shoulders. 

 Catching at the sedges to save myself, I inflicted various wounds upon 

 my hands ; nevertheless, I saw my first reed-pheasant's nest, and 

 returned home wiser, but not in the least sadder. 



The nest is not always built in such wet and inaccessible places : 

 I have occasionally seen it amongst low growing sedge and rush on a 

 comparatively dry marsh. It is composed of dry blades of the reeds 



