CRESTED TIT. 451 



claws much arched, high, extremely compressed, with erect 

 grooved sides, and very acute point. 



The plumage is blended. The feathers of the upper part of 

 the head are rounded ; those of its hind part elongated, pointed, 

 and slightly recurved, forming a very handsome crest. The 

 wings are rather short, and rounded ; the first quill very short, 

 being a third of the length of the fourth, which is longest ; the 

 fifth almost as long ; the third nearly equal to the fifth ; the 

 secondary quills rounded and acuminate. The tail is rather long, 

 emarginate, of twelve rather narrow slightly rounded feathers. 



The bill is black. The feet are black tinged with greyish- 

 blue ; the claws brownish-black. The feathers of the head 

 are black, margined with white. The loral spaces and cheeks 

 are white ; a black semicircular band from behind the eye, and 

 another of the same colour crossing the hind-neck and curving 

 downwards so as to join a large triangular black spot on the 

 fore part of the neck. The general colour of the upper parts 

 is grey tinged with light yellowish-brown ; the quills and tail- 

 feathers dusky-brown, margined with pale grey, the tail lighter. 

 The breast is greyish- white ; the sides, abdomen, and lower 

 tail-coverts, pale yellowish-brown. 



Length to end of tail 4 j% inches ; extent of wings 8 ; wing 

 from flexure 2i ; tail 1^ ; bill along the ridge y^^, along the 

 edge of lower mandible ^^ ; first toe j%, its claw j% ; second 

 toe /j, its claw -/^ ; third toe j%, its claw /j ; fourth toe j%^ 

 its claw j%. 



Female. — The female is similar, but with the crest slightly 

 shorter. 



Length to end of tail 4 ^^^ ; extent of wings 8. 



Habits. — Of the habits of this species as observed in Britain, 

 I am not aware that any thing of importance is known. Mon- 

 tagu's remarks on this subject, which have supplied a text for 

 all subsequent writers, are as follows. " The Crested Titmouse 

 is a solitary retired species, inhabits only the gloomy forests, par- 

 ticularly those which abound with evergreens. It has not been 

 found in South Britain, but is not uncommon amongst the large 



