The ornithology of Francis Willughby of Middleton in the county of Warwick Esq, fellow of the Royal Society in three books : wherein all the birds hitherto known, being reduced into a method sutable to their natures, are accurately described : the descriptions illustrated by most elegant figures, nearly resembling the live birds, engraven in LXXVII copper plates : translated into English, and enlarged with many additions throughout the whole work : to which are added, Three considerable discourses, I. of the art of fowling, with a description of several nets in two large copper plates, II. of the ordering of singing birds, III. of falconry / by John Ray ...

§. VIII. The long-tail'd Titmouse. Parus caudatus.

THe crown of this Bird is white: The Neck black. From the Bill above the Eyes on each side to the hinder-part of the Head is a broad black line pro∣duced. The Jaws and Throat are white. The Breast white, varied with small dusky spots. The Belly and sides of a dilute Chesnut colour: Of which, but mixt with black, both the Back and also the Rump partake.

The quil-feathers of the Wings are of an obscure dusky colour, the outer edges of the interiour of these are white. The singular structure or conformation of the feathers of the Tail difference this Bird from all other small birds of what kind so∣ever. For the outmost feathers are the shortest, the rest in order longer to the mid∣dlemost, which are the longest, and that by a notable difference or excess, as in the Magpie. Of the outmost feather on each side the top and outer half from the shaft is

white: The next hath less white; of the third, only the outer part of the tip is white. All the rest are wholly black. [In respect of these colours there may possibly be some variety in several birds.]

The Bill is short, strong, black: The Tongue broad, cloven, and divided into sila∣ments: The Eyes bigger than in other small birds; their Irides hazel-coloured: The edges of the eye-lids yellow: The Nosthrils covered with small feathers. The Feet black, as are also the Claws, but deeper. The Claw of the back-toe biggest of all, as is usual in most birds both great and small. With us it frequents gardens rather than mountainous places. It builds like the Wren, or more artificially, making an arch over the Nest of the same matter and contexture with the rest of the Nest; so that the Nest resembles an Egg erected upon one end, a small hole being left in the side, whereat the bird goes in and out. By this means both Eggs and Young are secured from all injuries of the Air, Wind, Rain, Cold, &c. And that they may lie soft she lines the Nest within with store of feathers and down. Without she builds the sides and roof of it of Moss and Wool curiously interwoven.

Aldrovand in the seventeenth Book, and sixteenth Chapter of his Ornithology doth accurately describe the Nest of this bird, such as we have more than once seen, in these words. It was of an oblong figure like a Pine-apple, of two Palms length, and one broad, round, built of sundry materials, viz. both tree and earth-moss, Cater∣pillars Webs, and other like woolly matter, and Hens feathers, with that order and art, that the chief and middle strength of the work, or texture of the Walls was of that yellowish green Moss, the common hairy Moss, that silk-like matter, and tough threads resembling those filaments suspended in the Air, and flying up and down like Spiders Webs, which are accounted signs of fair weather, connected and interwoven, or rather entangled so firmly together, that they can hardly be plucked asunder. Of the interiour capacity all the sides, it seemed, as well as the bottom, were covered and lined with feathers, for the more soft and warm lying of the Young. The out∣most superficies round about was fenced and strengthened with fragments of that lea∣vy Moss, which every where grows on trees, firmly bound together. In the forepart respecting the Sun-rise, and that above (where an arched roof of the same uniform matter and texture with the sides and bottom covered the Nest) was seen a little hole, scarce big enough one would think to admit the old one. We found in it nine Young, &c.