THE GREAT TITMOUSE. 363 



The song of the Hedge Accentor is sweet, but not varied or power- 

 ful, and has a peculiar plaintive air about it. The bird is a persever- 

 ing songster, continuing to sing throughout a large portion of the year, 

 and only ceasing during the time of the ordinary moult. Like many 

 other warbling birds, it possesses considerable powers of imitation, and 

 can mock with some success the greater number of British song-birds. 



The color of the Hedge Accentor is bluish gray, covered with small 

 brown streaks upon the head and the back and sides of the neck. The 

 back and wings are brown, streaked with a deeper tint of the same hue, 

 and the quill feathers of the wings and tail are of a rather darker 

 brown, and not quite so glossy. The chin, throat, and upper part of 

 the breast are gray, and the lower part of the breast and the abdomen 

 are white with a wash of pale buff. The legs and toes are brown, with 

 a decided orange tinge, and the beak is dark brown. The total length 

 of the bird is nearly six inches. 



The group of birds distinguished by the name of Parinse, or Tit- 

 mice, is easily recognizable, having all a kind of fiamily resemblance 

 which guards the observer from mistaking them for any other bird. 



They are all remarkable for their strong, stout little beaks, the 

 boldly-defined color of their plumage, and the quick irregularity of 

 their movements. Their feet and claws, though slight and apparently 

 weak, are really extremely strong, enabling the bird to traverse the 

 boughs with great rapidity, and to cling suspended from the branches. 



The Great Titmouse {Parus major). 



The first example of these birds is the Great Titmouse, an inhab- 

 itant uf England and many parts of Europe. 



