BIRDS 



parts of Dartmoor. Albinos have occurred 

 near Exeter. 



34. Alpine Accentor. Accentor collaris [Scopoli) 



An accidental visitor to the south-western 

 coast of the county. Three specimens have 

 been obtained near Plymouth, one at Berry 

 Head, and one at Teignmouth, in the months 

 of December and January. 



35. Dipper. C'tnclus aquaticus, Bechstein 



Locally, Water-Ouzel, Water-Colly. 



The dipper was formerly a common resi- 

 dent on all our rocky streams, and although 

 it may still be seen pretty frequently on the 

 higher parts of the rivers issuing from the 

 moors, it has been greatly reduced in numbers. 

 A pair used to breed at Exwick Weir on the 

 Exe, close to Exeter. It is fairly common in 

 the Kingsbridge district, frequently construct- 

 ing its beautiful nest under the arches of 

 bridges. It is occasionally seen in the south- 

 east of Devon and sometimes on the sea 



coast. 



Panurus biarmicus 



36. Bearded Titmouse. 



(Linn.) 



A casual visitor of very rare occurrence at 

 the present day, but according to Dr. E. 

 Moore was formerly a resident near Topsham 

 and Thorverton on the Exe. Mr. H. Saun- 

 ders in his Manual of British Birds (2nd ed.) 

 seems to credit certain inforrnation he had 

 received that this bird still breeds in one 

 locality in the county. It was occasionally 

 met with near Bovey Tracey, according to 

 Turton and Kingston (1830). The late Mr. 

 Bower Scott of Chudleigh stated that he had 

 seen a bearded tit at Slapton Ley about 1872, 

 and the Rev. M. A. Mathew once saw a 

 small flock in a marsh near Barnstaple. There 

 were two specimens in the collection of the 

 late Mr. Cecil Smith stated to have come 

 from ' Devonshire.' 



37. Long-tailed Titmouse, Acredula caudate 



(Linn.) 



Locally, Bottle-Tit, Long-tailed Pie, Long- 

 tailed Cap'n. 



Resident, generally distributed and abund- 

 ant in wooded districts. Its beautiful nest is 

 known to every bird-nesting boy. It appears 

 to be more abundant in winter than in sum- 

 mer, and probably its numbers are recruited 

 by immigration during the former season. 

 Small flocks are often seen mingled with other 

 species of tit and various small birds, especially 

 frequenting white poplar trees by the side of 

 rivers and ponds. 



38. Great Titmouse. Parus major, Linn. 

 Locally, Hackmall, Heckymal, Big Hickmal, 



Ox-eye. 

 Resident and generally distributed in 

 wooded districts. It is one of the most 

 abundant species of tit about Exeter and 

 Chagford. In winter it flocks with other 

 small birds. 



39. Coal-Titmouse. Parus ater, Linn. 



Resident and tolerably common in the 

 south of the county, being frequently seen in 

 suburban gardens around Exeter and Exmouth, 

 especially in autumn and winter, but it usually 

 frequents fir plantations. It is not a common 

 species in north Devon. 



40. Marsh-Titmouse. Parus palustris, Linn. 



Resident and common in some localities. 

 About Exeter this species is not so common 

 as the coal-tit. In the Kingsbridge district it 

 is by far the most numerous of all the tits. It 

 is also common at Chagford and in the 

 northern part of the county. It is sometimes 

 gregarious with the other species of tit. 

 Examples closely resembling the Siberian 

 marsh-titmouse have been obtained by Mr. 

 Elliot at Kingsbridge in autumn and winter, 

 and the writer saw one at Chagford in 1896. 

 This bird was larger and very different in 

 appearance from the ordinary dingy-coloured 

 race of the English marsh-tit. The crown of 

 the head was intense black, the upper parts of 

 a delicate lavender-gray, and the lower parts 

 white, the three colours being strongly con- 

 trasted. It seems probable it was an example 

 of P. camchatkensis. 



41. Blue Titmouse. Parus caruleus, Linn. 

 Locally, Billy Biter, Bliithpecker, Blue Cap, 



Bluespick, Titmal, Hackmal. 



A common resident, generally distributed. 

 Probably the most abundant species of tit in 

 Devon. In winter it is gregarious, and large 

 flocks, mingled with other small birds, are met 

 with. 



42. Crested Titmouse. Parus cristatus, Linn. 

 The only recorded occurrence of this spe- 

 cies of titmouse in Devon rests upon the 

 authority of Baron A. von Hflgel, who ob- 

 served one in Chelston Lane, Torquay, on 

 26 March 1874. The bird he saw was so 

 tame that he almost touched it with his walk- 

 ing-stick {Zool. 1874, p. 4065). In the 

 second edition of Mr. Howard Saunders's 

 Manual of British Birds the locality given for 

 this occurrence is ' Bournemouth,' probably 

 through inadvertence. Mr. J. H. Gurney 



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