340 



BEARDED REED- BIRD. 



companions, chanced occasionally to be a small ex- 

 traneous seed, of which the reed-birds were particu- 

 larly fond ; but as there were never but a very few 

 of these seeds at a time, they had of course some 

 difficulty in finding them from among the rest. The 

 method, therefore, taken to scatter the seed about the 

 cage, to get at the bottom of the pan, was curious, not 

 with the bill, as a finch, or as most other small birds 

 would have done, but by jumping into the pan, and 

 kicking them about in all directions. 



The usual call-note of this species is loud and 

 monotonous, and not very unlike the querulous pipin 

 of a young chick, that has strayed from the hen ; or 

 it may be written thus, ptear,ptear, pronounced with 

 some emphasis. When particularly pleased, it utters 

 a low note resembling pitt, pitt ; and it emits almost 

 continually a low kind of chirp, which also bears 

 some similitude to the faint cry of a newly hatched 

 chick. Besides these, the male sometimes chants 

 forth a variety of hoarse croaking chirps, which may 

 be considered his song ; but we have never yet heard 

 the musical note it is alleged to utter among the 

 reeds, resembling ping, ping-ping-ping-ping. 



Some interesting accounts of the reed-bird in a 

 state of nature, have been published in the magazine of 

 Natural History by Mr. Hoy. " The borders," says he, 

 " of the large pieces of fresh water in Norfolk, called 

 Broads, particularly Hickling and Horsey Broads, 

 are the favourite places of resort of this bird ; indeed, 

 it is to be met with in that neighbourhood, whereon 

 there are reeds in any quantity with fenny land 

 adjoining. During the autumn and winter they are 

 found dispersed, generally in small parties, throughout 

 the whole length of the Suffolk coast, wherever there 

 are large tracts of reeds." * * * * " It begins build- 

 ing in the end of April. The nest is composed on 

 the outside with the dead leaves of the reed and 

 sedge, intermixed with a few pieces of grass, and 

 invariably lined with the top of the reed, somewhat 

 in the manner of the nest of the reed- wren" (or reed 

 verderolle, Salicaria arundinacea), "but not so compact 

 in the interior. It is generally placed in a tuft of 

 coarse grass or rushes near the ground, or the mar- 

 gin of the dikes, in the fen ; also sometimes fixed 

 among 'the reeds that are broken down, but never 

 suspended between the stems. The eggs vary in 

 number from four to six, rarely seven ; pure" (or 

 rather pinkish) " white, sprinkled all over with small 

 purpdish red spots, intermixed with a few small faint 

 lines and markings of the same colour ; size about 

 the same as those of the ox-eye" (great titmouse), 

 " but much more rounded at the smaller end. Their 

 food during the winter is principally the seed of the 

 reed, and so intent are they in searching for it, that 

 I have taken them with a bird-lirne twig attached to 

 the end of a fishing-rod. When alarmed by any 

 sudden noise, or the passing of a hawk, they utter 

 their shrill musical notes, and conceal themselves 

 among the thick bottom of the reeds, but soon resume 

 their station, climbing" (walking up) " the upright 

 stems with the greatest facility. Their manners in 

 feeding approach near to the bottle-tit, often hanging 

 with the head downwards, and turning themselves 

 into the most beautiful attitudes. Their food is not 

 entirely the reed-seeds, but insects and their larvae, 

 and the very young shell snails, which are numerous 

 at the bottom of the reedlings." One we lately 

 examined, which had evidently escaped from con- 

 finement, and which was knocked down with a stone, 



contained in its stomach the remains of flies. We 

 have seen them eat small shell snails, in confinement. 

 Mr. Hoy continues, " I have been enabled to watch 

 their motions when in search of insects, having when 

 there has been a little wind stirring, been often within 

 a few feet of them quite unnoticed among the reeds. 

 Were it not for their note betraying them, thov would 

 be but seldom seen." * * * * " The mules amU'etnales 

 I have always observed in company; they appear to 

 keep in families until the pairing time, in the manner 

 of the bottle-tit ; differing in this respect, that you 

 will occasionally find them congregated in large 

 flocks more particularly during the month of October, 

 when they are migrating from their breeding place." 

 Another correspondent of the Magazine of Na- 

 tural History observes: "The bearded titmouse" 

 (reed-bird) " inhabits the marshes bordering on the 

 Thames, both in Kent and Essex. I was told in 

 December last that some had been seen in a large 

 piece of reeds below Barking Creek ; and being de- 

 sirous of observing them ia their haunts, I went 

 out, accompanied by one person and a dog, to the 

 above-named place, on a cold windy morning; the 

 reed-cutters having commenced their operations, I 

 was fearful of deferring my visit, lest my game might 

 be driven away. Arrived on our ground, we tra- 

 versed it some time without success, and were about 

 to leave it, when our attention was aroused by the 

 alarm-cry of this bird. Looking up, we saw ehht or 

 ten of these beautiful cn'.itures on the wing, just top- 

 ping the reeds over our heads, uttering in full chorus 

 their forcibly musical note, which resembles the 

 monosyllable ping, ping, pronounced at first slow and 

 single, then two or three times in a more hurried 

 manner, uttered in a clear and ringing, though soft 

 tone, which well corresponds with the beauty and 

 delicacy of this bird. Their flights were short and 

 low, only sufficient to clear the reeds, on the seedy 

 tops of which they alight to feed, hanging, like most 

 of their tribe," (that is, like the various titmice) 

 " with the head or back downwards. If disturbed, 

 they descend by running, or rather by dropping. The 

 movement is rapid along the stalk to the bottom, 

 where they creep and flit, perfectly concealed by the 

 closeness of the covert, which resembles the tint of 

 their plumage. After some time we were fortunate 

 enough to shoot one, a male in fine plumage. I held 

 it in my hand when scarcely dead. Nothing could 

 exceed the beauty of the eye ; the bright orange of 

 the iris, surrounded by the deep glossy black of the 

 moustaches and streak above, receives additional 

 brilliancy from the contrast, and struck me as a mas- 

 terpiece of colour and neatness." 



Fine specimens of this beautiful bird may often be 

 procured in the London markets during the winter 

 months ; these are brought from the Essex marshes. 

 In summer they are less valuable as specimens, as the 

 :ail feathers and other parts of the plumage are often 

 njured, and sometimes soiled with dirt. Great num- 

 aersofthem, also, are annually brought to London alive, 

 about the fall of the year, from Holland, and may be pur- 

 chased of the dealers for a trifle. They are tolerably 

 lardy, but exceedingly subject to fits of apoplexy, if 

 ? ed upon too nutritious food : we have seen them fall 

 Tom their perch three or four times in the course of 

 ;he day, and such as do so rarely survive many weeks. 

 They are usually, however, stout and healthy birds, 

 if not suffered to get too fat ; and very ornamental in 

 the aviary, though it would not be advisable to pro- 



