File:Lost and vanishing birds; being a record of some remarkable extinct species and a plea for some threatened forms (1898) (14748421771).jpg

Identifier: lostvanishingbir00dixo (find matches)
Title: Lost and vanishing birds; being a record of some remarkable extinct species and a plea for some threatened forms
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Dixon, Charles, 1858-1926
Subjects: Birds -- England Extinct birds
Publisher: London, J. Macqueen
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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side of theface between the base of the bill and the eye.Bill similar to that of the Razorbill, but the whitegrooves not quite so conspicuous. In winter thethroat became white, as in the Razorbill. The lengthof the Great Auk was about twenty-five inches. VANISHING BRITISH BIRDS ■3^ THE BEARDED TITMOUSE (PANURUS BIARMICUS) nnHE birds we now come to deal with are -^ fortunately still indigenous to the British Islands, although they are present in sadly diminished numbers, and are all more or less threatened with extinction in our area unless eiforts are taken to preserve them and senseless persecution is relaxed. Our first species is the Bearded Titmouse, although why it should be called a Titmouse is hard to say; for its habits, characteristics, and organisation show little or no direct relationship with the group, and its true affinities remain yet to be discovered. This charming little bird is not only one of the prettiest, but one of the most interesting of our native 98 PLATE V.
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BEARDED TITS THE BEARDED TITMOUSE 99 species. It is also one of the most local. We haveevidence to show that formerly the Bearded Tit-mouse occupied a much wider area in Englandthan is now the case. This area included Lincoln-shire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Norfolk,Suffolk, Essex, Kent, Sussex (possibly Hants),Dorset, and Devonshire. Probably it also occupiedsuitable districts in the valley of the Thames, evenas far as Gloucestershire. At the present day thisrange is sadly curtailed, and only includes thecounties of Devon, Suffolk (possibly), and Norfolk.When we come to investigate the causes of suchrapid and wholesale restriction of area, we find itdirectly attributable to the destruction by drainageand enclosure of haunts, and to the direct per-secution of man. We know that vast areas wherethis bird formerly dwelt have been improved away;the forests of reeds and the wet lands havevanished, and with them have gone the BeardedTitmouse. But this can only explain part of theexti

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