60 
12 
Great difficulty has always been experienced by systematists in assigning the natural position 
of the genus Calamophilus; and the balance of opinion is still equally divided between those 
naturalists who affirm that it is allied to the Paride, and those who follow Professor Macgillivray, 
and consider that the nearest allies to the Bearded Reedling are the Emberizide. ‘The bird had 
by common consent been placed with the Paride ; and the name of “ Bearded Tit,” by which it is 
generally known, shows that popular opinion acquiesced in this generally received view of its 
affinities. But in 1840 Professor Macgillivray challenged the validity of Calamophilus being 
received as a Parine form, and referred it to his order of Huskers, believing.its nearest allies to 
exist in the genus Ammodromus. Mr. R. F. Tomes, in an elaborate paper in ‘The Ibis’ for 
1860, likewise advocates the Fringilline affinities of the Bearded Reedling. We do not quite 
agree with either one party or the other, as we believe that it is more closely allied to certain 
Drymecine forms, especially the genus Sphenwacus. ‘There is a certain resemblance to Ammo- 
dromus; but Dresser, who has seen the species of the latter genus in life, considers the habits 
quite different. We can hardly agree to the bird being congeneric with the species of Hygithalus 
&c. as placed by Mr. Gray in the ‘ Hand-list.’ 
For the loan of a beautiful series of specimens of the Bearded Reedling, we are indebted to 
our good friend Mr. John Henry Gurney, jun., and we have taken most of our descriptions of the 
different plumages from his examples. It seems that when the bird is in the nest the black 
marks on the back are very plain, occupying the entire central portion; and these markings 
continue for along time after the bird is fully grown, lasting probably till the spring dress is 
assumed. In many collections we have seen these black-streaked birds marked as adult females ; 
but they are often young males, as the old female certainly loses all traces of black dorsal streaks. 
This we have satisfactorily ascertained, as Mr. Keulemans has had a pair alive in a cage fora 
long time, and the hen has the head and back uniform, with just a few black markings on the 
former. ‘These birds have been figured in the Plate; and in the distance a group of young ones 
will be seen, to show the way in which the back is marked in the immature bird. In winter the 
plumage is much duller than in summer, assuming a greyish tinge. 
In the preparation of the above article we have examined the following specimens :— 
E Mus. Sharpe and Dresser. 
a, b, c. Cambridgeshire (Fox). d. Sarepta (Moeschler). 
E Mus. J. H. Gurney, jun. 
a,b. 2 et pull. Hickling, 1862. c,d. Ely, October 26th and November 2nd, 1868 (J. Titterton). e. g. 
Horning, 1860 (Gunn). jf, g. Leadenhall Market (J. H. G.). 
E Mus. Salvin and Godman. 
a-g. Norfolk (0. S.). 
E Mus. H. B. Tristram. 
a. Leadenhall Market (J. H. Gurney). 
