60 



lONG-TAILED TITMOUSE. 



This most elegant and beautiful species has a 

 short and thick beak of a black colour : irides 

 hazel; orbits of the eyes yellow : top of the head 

 white, variegated with grey: through each eye 

 there is a broad black band, which extends back- 

 wards, and unites on the hind head, from whence 

 it passes down the back to the rump ; which, with 

 the rest of the back, belly, sides, and vent, is of a 

 dull rose-colour: sides of the head, throat, and 

 under part of the neck white, mixed with grey : 

 wing-coverts black : quills dusky, with pale mar- 

 gins : tail composed of twelve feathers of un- 

 equal length ; the two middle ones being three 

 inches and two lines, the next on each side three 

 inches and a half, the third three inches and a 

 quarter, the fourth three inches, the fifth two 

 inches seven lines, and the outer one one inch and 

 three quarters ; the four middle feathers are en- 

 tirely black, the next has a slight white spot on 

 the outer web near the tip, and the others are tip- 

 ped and obliquely marked with white on the ex- 

 terior webs : legs and claws black: some specimens 

 have the whole of the upper part of the neck black : 

 the under parts greyish white, except the vent and 

 sides, which are purplish ; and an obscure dusky 

 band across the breast : this is one of the smallest 

 of the genus, measuring only five inches and a 

 quarter, of which the tail includes upwards of three 

 inches : weight near two drachms. 



The nest of this singular species is generally 

 fixed firmly in the fork of some bush, or branch of 

 a tree : it is of a long oval form, with a small hole 



