HABITS OF THE BEARDED TIT. 



67 



year, from Holland ; and they may be purchased in the London 

 markets for a trifle. They are hardy birds, and will thrive upon 

 almost any sort of food : many, however, are very subject to a kind of 

 epilepsy, and will fall from their perch three or four times a day ; such 

 as are subject to these fits generally die in the course of a few weeks,* 

 and those which do so perhaps average about half the number of the 

 birds imported. The remainder are usually stout and hardy birds, and 

 very ornamental in the aviary.. It would not, however, be advisable to 

 procure more than one pair, as they are often very garrulous and noisy. 



Few animals appear so isolated (if I might be allowed the expres- 

 sion) as this bird. It more nearly resembles the shrikes (Laniance) 

 than any other group of birds, but bears no similitude whatever to 

 the tits, with which it has been generally classed. The form of the 

 bill is precisely that of the shrike (Lanius) in miniature ; in the 

 colours and disposition of its plumage, also, it greatly resembles this 

 genus; and there is the same diversity in the plumage of the sexes, 

 quite at variance with the tits, in which the male and female nearly 

 assimilate in outward appearance. The latter difference, however, I 

 am aware, does not in every instance indicate dissimilarity in the 

 nature of different species : the robin and the redstart, and also the 

 two British species of sparrow (birds possessing great general resem- 

 blance) differing remarkably in this respect: but it is nevertheless 

 worthy of notice, as an addition to other differences. 



In its voice, also, the Bearded Tit somewhat resembles the flushei% 

 (L. Collurio ;) but its general call is monotonous, and not very unlike 

 the querulous piping of a young chick, that has strayed from the 

 hen ; or it may be written thus, ptear, ptear, pronounced with some 

 emphasis. When it is particularly pleased, it utters a note resembling 

 pitt, pitt ; and it emits almost continually a low kind of chirp, which 

 also bears some similitude to the faint cry of a newly-hatched chick. 

 The male has, however, a considerable variety of notes, many of 

 which, as before stated, resemble those of the flusher, (L. Collurio,) 

 but I have never yet heard any that could be construed into ping, 

 ping, which has been represented as the common call of the species. 



I have never observed any bird so extremely, I might say, strangely 

 fond of society, as this species. A fine male in my possession, that 

 is confined in a large cage with a variety of other small birds, keeps 

 generally on the higher perches, where, if left alone by the others 

 even for a moment, he makes a most pitiful outcry, endeavouring to 



* A cock which I possessed had two successive fits, and died in a few days. — Ed. 



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