. A history of British birds . t altogether nearerto Parus than to any of the exotic genera {Suthora Liothrixand Cyclorhis) examined by him. Where osteology fails todetermine the kindred of a genus, as happens in many of thecomparatively-uniform Passeres, other characters become ofgreater weight, and on the whole the Editor deems he isjustified in referring this bird to a distinct family, as familiesare commonly accepted in that Order. From the generally inaccessible nature of reed-beds growingat the sides of rivers and other inland waters—the placesmostly frequented by this species, its habit
. A history of British birds . t altogether nearerto Parus than to any of the exotic genera {Suthora Liothrixand Cyclorhis) examined by him. Where osteology fails todetermine the kindred of a genus, as happens in many of thecomparatively-uniform Passeres, other characters become ofgreater weight, and on the whole the Editor deems he isjustified in referring this bird to a distinct family, as familiesare commonly accepted in that Order. From the generally inaccessible nature of reed-beds growingat the sides of rivers and other inland waters—the placesmostly frequented by this species, its habits were for a long-time little watched and therefore little known; but they arenow very fairly understood. The nest and eggs were firstdescribed and figured by Nozeman, who, in June, 1779, dis-covered that the bird bred in Holland, but his account wasneglected by most subsequent authors. In 1826 two of itsnests with their eggs, found at Horsey in Norfolk, were sentto the Author of this work (Zool. Journ. iii. pp. 85, 86), and. were probably the first ever taken in this country. Thesenests were placed near the ground, being sustained only aninch or two above the surface by the coarse grass-stems onwhich they were fixed, and were composed entirely of drybents, the finer ones forming the lining and others increasing ,r>lG PANURID,E. in substance, making up the exterior. In general,however,the nest is built of leaves of the reed, intermixed more orless with blades of sedge or grass, and is lined with the topof the reed, the whole being placed in a tuft of grass ornettles, or fixed among broken-down reeds, but it is neversuspended between tin stems, and is always open or cup-shaped, and thus in form as in material is quite unlike thenest of any species of Titmouse. The eggs are from fouror five to seven or eight in number, measuring from 73 totil by from 57 i 51 in., and in appearance differ entirelyfrom those of any other British bird, though perhaps theyhave a leaning towards
Size: 2033px × 1229px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1885
