BRITISH BIRDS. 
247 
quills are dulky, edged with white — thofe next the 
body with rufty on the exterior web, and with 
white on the inner ; the baflard wing is dufky, ed- 
ged and tipped with white ; the legs are black. — 
The female wants the black mark on each fide of 
the head ; the crown of the head is ruft colour, 
fpotted with black ; the vent feathers are not black, 
but of the fame colour with the belly. 
The Bearded Titmoufe is found chiefly in the 
fouthern parts of the kingdom ; it frequents mar- 
fhy places, where reeds grow, on the feeds of 
which it feeds : It is fuppofed to breed there, 
though its hiftory is imperfedlly known. It is faid 
that they were firft brought to this country from 
Denmark by the Countefs of Albemarle, and that 
fome of them having made their efcape, founded a 
colony here ; but Mr Latham, with great proba- 
bility, fuppofes that they are ours ab origine , and 
that it is owing to their frequenting the places 
where reeds grow, and which are not eafily accef- 
fible, that fo little has been known of them. Mr 
Edwards gives a figure of this bird, and defcribes 
it under the name of the Leafl Butcher Bird. 
