I I 2 CRESTED TITMOUSE. 



sparingly in several districts of Holland, principally in oak-trees, for 

 abroad it is by no means restricted to conifers. It inhabits the pine- 

 forests of Scandinavia and Russia up to about 64° N. lat. ; and 

 eastward it can be traced as far as the valleys of the Don and 

 the Volga. In Germany and in the higher districts of France it 

 is tolerably abundant wherever firs are plentiful ; while in the Jura, 

 Alps, Carpathians, and other ranges down to the Balkans it is 

 generally distributed, though it does not go far into Italy. In some 

 parts of the Lower Pyrenees I found it common ; and in the south 

 of France, as well as in Spain, it may often be observed among 

 trees close by the sea. In the latter country it breeds in the cork- 

 woods in the vicinity of Gibraltar, as well as on higher ground ; it is 

 also frequent in Portugal. It has not yet been obtained in North 

 Africa, Greece, or Asia Minor. 



In Scotland, the nest of the Crested Titmouse is often placed in 

 the rotten stump of a fir, a hole being bored in the tree, from 

 two to eight feet above the ground ; it may be in old stumps of 

 large trees within six inches of the soil, sometimes in gate-posts, 

 iron supports of fences, and fissures in living firs. In Germany, the 

 deserted nests of Magpies, Crows, and squirrels are also utilized ; 

 and the bird has been seen by an excellent observer to occupy nests 

 built in bushes, apparently those of the Wren and the Long tailed 

 Titmouse. The materials are moss, deer's hair, wool and fur, felted 

 together; the eggs (usually laid in Scotland at the end of April or 

 early in May), are from 5-8 in number, and are white, boldly 

 spotted or zoned with light red : measurements "62 by '48 in. Two 

 broods are sometimes produced in the season. The food of this 

 bird consists of insects and their larvae, small seeds, and berries. The 

 note is zee-zee. The bird is very lively in its habits, flitting rapidly 

 from one pine to another, and it may often be seen during winter 

 in company with Tree-Creepers, Golden-crested Wrens and Tits. 



In the adult male the feathers of the head are dull black, broadly 

 edged with greyish-white, and prolonged into a conspicuous crest ; 

 on either side a black streak runs from the eye to the back of the 

 head ; these join, and descend behind the cheeks (which are mottled 

 with black and white) till they meet the black throat and upper 

 breast ; back and wings olive-brown ; quills and tail hair-brown ; 

 abdomen dull white, turning to buff on the flanks ; bill black ; feet 

 and legs lead-colour. Length 4^5 in. ; wing to the tip of the 4th 

 and longest primary, 2-5 in. The female has a shorter crest and 

 less black on the throat ; and the young are like her, but have 

 hardly any crest. 



