TITMOUSE. 21 



Family PANUEID^E. 



^1ARDED REEDLING OB TITMOUSE 

 (Panurus biarmicus) . 



wesiaent ; strictly local, and much rarer than it used to be. 

 Chiefly found in eastern counties. 



Haunts. Reed-beds. 



Plumage. Head bluish grey ; black loral patch in the shape 

 of a moustache. Nape, back and rump tawny yellow ; upper 

 parts orange brown. Wings marked with black, white and 

 rufous. Tail very long and orange brown ; outer feathers 

 variegated with black and white. Bill yellow. Legs black. 

 Length 6f in. Female, head brownish fawn, no black mous- 

 tache. Young like female, but streaked on head and back with 

 black. 



Language. Somewhat like the Blue Tit's, but call-note 

 "ping-ping," rather like the twang of a banjo. Alarm-note, 

 " chi-arre." 



Habits. Very Tit-like in its active climbing about the reed- 

 stems. In appearance graceful and slender. When alarmed 

 it at once drops down to the base of the reeds and skulks. 

 Sociable in winter. 



Food. Aquatic insects, molluscs, and seeds of reeds in 

 winter. 



Nest. April onwards. Probably two broods. 



Site. On marshy ground amongst aquatic herbage, in tuft 

 of sedge, &c. 



Materials. Reed-stems and leaves, and grass, lined with 

 feathery fibres of the reed-tops ; a deep cup. 



Eggs. Five to seven. Dingy wiiite, minutely speckled and 

 lined with dark brown. 



Family PARIDJE. 

 LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE (Acredula caudata). 



Resident ; rather local, but nevertheless tolerably common 

 and generally distributed. 



Haunts. Plantations, orchards, shrubberies, &c. 



Observation. The predominating hue, when seen at a little 

 distance, is grey. 



Plumage. Head, neck, throat, and breast white. Back, wings, 

 and portion of tail black. Black stripe over eye ; under parts 

 white, suffused with rose. Beak black, and very short. Black 

 tail very long, with conspicuous white edges. Legs black. 

 Length 5$ in.- Female similar. Young duller, and no rose 

 tint on breast. 



