The Crested Tit. 163 



defined crest ; from the nape backwards the upper parts are olivaceous-brown, the 

 flights and tail being smoky-brown ; face white, mottled with black ; a black stripe 

 from the base of the bill, through the eye to the back of the head and thence 

 descending, so as to bound the ear-coverts and cheeks ; behind this is a white 

 band again bounded by a black stripe which crosses over the back of the head, 

 round the neck and unites with a black gorget which occupies the centre of the 

 chin, throat, and breast ; remainder of under parts sordid-white, suffused at the 

 sides with brownish-buff; bill black; feet leaden-grey; iris brown. 



The female differs from the male in its shorter crest and more restricted 

 throat-patch : the young are similar, but with still shorter crest. 



The Crested Tit breeds throughout the pine-forests of Europe ; but it is also 

 said to frequent birch-plantations. Seebohm informs us that " in autumn it 

 partially forsakes the pine-forests, where it breeds, and is seen in winter in many 

 of the small woods and plantations, and even the gardens, in the neighbouring 

 districts ; but even in these localities it prefers the pine to any other tree." 



It is curious that the Crested Tit should hitherto not have been met with in 

 Morocco; but Dixon, in his "Birds of Algeria," observes: — "The Crested Titmouse, 

 Pariis cristatus, may 3'et be found to inhabit the Algerian or Moroccan forests." 



The call-note of this bird is said to be a rather weak si, si, si, followed by a 

 sort of trill which has been rendered ptur, re, re, re, ree : the call-note of many of 

 the Tits has been similarl}^ rendered si, si, si; but when carefully analyzed it 

 resolves itself into fsay, or c/ue, or /see : in any case it is probable that the 

 combination of si, si, si, with a terminal trill represents the song, and a single 

 sharp si or isee the call-note (of course this opinion is only based upon observation 

 of other species, and may be incorrect). 



In the south-west of France the nest is stated to be usually placed behind 

 the loosened bark of pine-trees ; in Germany in deserted nests of Crows, Magpies, 

 or Squirrels ; and in Scotland, in holes bored into rotten fir-stumps, at altitudes 

 of from two to eight feet above the ground ; sometimes it is said to lay its eggs 

 in deserted Wren's nests, but as it has also been stated that it sometimes builds 

 a nest of this character itself (which a study of the other species of Parus would 

 lead one to believe highly probable) the observation respecting its occupation of 

 Wren's nests may be erroneous, and should only be accepted after full confir- 

 mation. At the same time, it is likely enough, if its own nest were destroyed 

 just when it was laying, that it would utilize such a structure ; inasmuch as I 

 have even found eggs of the Blue-Tit, upon which the mother bird was sitting, 

 in a Sand-Martin's nest.* 



• I took this nest for my collection ; and, as it contained only three slightly incubated eggs, it is certain 

 that the first part of the clutch had been previously deposited elsewhere. 



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