10) 
Charlton (Hutchinson & Collingwood), Sydenham Common, and Blue Anchor Lane, near 
Deptford (Graves).” 
Mr. W. H. Dikes, another correspondent to Loudon’s Magazine, thus writes on the food of 
the present species :— 
“This is stated, in all the descriptions which I have consulted, to be the seeds of aquatic 
plants. Having, however, lately had an opportunity of examining three specimens, I find that 
account is erroneous; the crop did not contain a single seed, but, on the contrary, was completely 
filled with the Succinea amphibia in a perfect state, the shell being unbroken. These shells were 
singularly closely packed together—the crop of one, which was not larger than a hazel-nut, con- 
taining twenty, and some of them of a good size; it contained also four of the Pupa muscorum. 
Of all these mollusca the shell was quite uninjured, which, when the fragile nature of that of the 
Succinea is considered, is somewhat extraordinary. The shell appears to be passed into the 
stomach in the same perfect state, as I discovered one (which I presume had been recently 
swallowed) quite entire. They are not, however, voided in this state; for I found the stomach to 
be full of small fragments of shells in a greater or less degree of decomposition. This work of 
destruction is accomplished by the action of the stomach, aided by the trituration of numerous 
sharp angular fragments of quartz, which had been instinctively swallowed, and by which the 
minute division of the shells is most completely effected.” 
The stomach of a bird killed near Ely, and examined by Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., was found 
to contain grass-seeds and a considerable quantity of coarse river-sand. 
The nest of the Bearded Titmouse is thus described in the ‘ Zoological Journal,’ vol. iii. 
pp. 89, 86 :— 
““Tt was placed near the ground, being sustained only an inch or two above the surface by 
the strength of the stems of the coarse grass upon which it was fixed; it was composed entirely 
of dried bents, the finer ones forming the lining, and others, increasing in substance, made up 
the interior. The eggs were four in number, rather smaller than those of the Great Titmouse 
(Parus major), and less pointed, white, and sparingly marked with pale red irregular lines or 
scratches.” 
Eggs in Dresser’s collection from Holland and Norfolk are pure white, sparsely covered with 
small irregular scratches of dark reddish brown. They measure about 33 in length by $4 in width. 
Just as we were going to press, the following interesting note arrived from Mr. Keulemans :— 
“The young ones moult from September to October; and the moulting lasts nearly five 
weeks (in confinement), during which time the black moustaches gradually appear in the male 
bird. The young ones, after moulting, still remain much paler than the adults, the grey head 
of the old male being rather light and whitish, while the pinkish hue on the breast does not 
appear until the next spring. 
““T have just received from Holland four individuals (two males and two females), which 
have been brought up from the nest last year. The males are very pale in comparison with the 
adult bird I had alive for two years, and which only just died. In the hens the dark spot on 
the back has changed into two distinct stripes, while a rather distinct indication of two streaks 
remains on the occiput. In the latter sex the colour of the plumage in general is just inter- 
mediate between that of the adult and the young ones.” 
og 
