BEARDED TITMOUSE. 
185 
The only other British form among the Parl- 
ance is Accentor , one altogether aberrant, but 
leading away to the Anthi or Pipits, and by them 
to the next sub-family or Wagtails. The genus 
is very limited, four species only being known,* 
two of which have been killed in Britain, another 
is European, and the fourth has been described 
from the Himalayan district, and has been sent 
to us by Mr Hodgson from Nepaul. There is 
also a bird figured in Lewin’s Birds of New 
Holland, plate XVI. which has always appeared to 
us as belonging to this genus ; but we have never 
been able to procure a specimen : if w r e are cor- 
rect in this, the range will be more extensive. 
The habits of these birds are solitary ; the food 
insects, and in winter small grasses and seeds. 
Our common native is seldom seen far from cul- 
tivation ; the two European species frequent the 
passes of the Alps, climbing among the rocks in 
search of food ; and we may presume that the 
Himalayan bird possesses somewhat similar habits. 
Some are partially migratory from the countries 
they inhabit. They build a careless nest, and 
possess a song pleasing, though of little power or 
variation of note. 
* Temminck, in his Supplement, places the rare 
Motacilla catiope of Pallas with accentor. In this bird 
the bill is more slender and the gape more lengthened. 
In the structure of the wings, the third and fourth quills 
are longest, and nearly equal, and the first is not propor- 
tionally short, as in the type of accentor. Mr Gould 
makes a sub-genus, caliope, from it. 
