BRITISH BIRDS' XEST8. 305 



Bemarls — Resident. Note: a liarsli, shrill 

 che-chee, che-chee. Local and other names : Cole- 

 mouse, Coal Titmouse, Coalliead. Sits closely, and 

 hisses when molested. 



TIT, CRESTED. 



Description of Parent Birds. — Length about four 

 and a half inches ; bill short, straight, and almost 

 black. Irides hazel. The feathers on the top ol 

 the head, especially behind, are lengthened, and 

 form a conspicuous crest ; these feathers are dull 

 black in colour, tipped with light grey ; back, 

 wdngs, rump, and tail, brown, the quills being some- 

 wdiat darker. A black streak runs from the base 

 of the beak to the eye, and passes onward between 

 the base of the crest and the ear-coverts to the 

 nape, from wdience a broader black, cm-ving line 

 descends behind the cheeks and ends abruptly on 

 the sides of the neck. Cheeks white, spotted with 

 black. The black line just described is followed 

 beneath by a broader band of white, wdiich in turn 

 gives place to a narrower curving black line, descend- 

 ing from the back of the head, and, passing in front 

 of the point or shoulder of the wing, joins the black 

 on the upper breast ; chin, throat, and upper breast 

 black ; lower breast, belly, and flanks dull white, 

 suffused with buff on the sides ; under tail-coverts 

 dull buff; legs, toes, and claws lead-grey. 



The female resembles the male, except that her 

 crest is shorter, and the black on her chin, throat, 

 and upper breast occupies less space. 



Situation and Locality. — Holes in the trunks, 

 branches, and old stumps of trees. The hole is 

 situated from a few" inches to ten or twelve feet 

 u 



