NOTES. 109 



ours, we trust these imported birds will follow their heredi- 

 tary instiacts, and that they will n,ot return. The Editors. 



THE CONTINENTAL BLUE TIT AS A 

 BRITISH BIRD. 



An example of the Continental Blue Tit (Parus coeruUus 

 cceruleus) obtained in Peeblesshire some years ago, was exhibited 

 by Mr. J. L. Bonhote at the June meeting of the British 

 Ornithologists' Club {Bull B.O.C., Vol. XXVIL, p. 101). 

 This is, I believe, the first identified example of this form 

 to be recorded for the British Isles. Mr. Bonhote does not 

 state the date nor the localit}^, and one would not have 

 expected to find the bird in an inland county. There can 

 be little doubt, however, that it frequently occurs as a migrant 

 on the east coast, immigrations of Blue Tits having been 

 often noted, especially in Yorkshire. Here Mr. T. H. Nelson 

 says {Birds of Yorks., Vol. I., pp. 112-13) that they ariive 

 in most seasons from mid-September to mid-November, 

 and large immigrations were recorded in the last fortnight in 

 October, 1878 (corresponding with a " rush " at Hehgoland) 

 in 1889, and in September, 1901, while in the autumn of 

 1910, Blue Tits weie noticed amongst the immigrant Con- 

 tinental Great Tits by Dr. C. B. Ticehurst in Suffolk 

 (c/. Vol. IV., p. 247). H. F. Witherby. 



THE NORTHERN AND THE CENTRAL-EUROPEAN 

 CRESTED TITS AS BRITISH BIRDS. 



The following examples of Crested Tits have been recorded 

 as having been obtained in England from time to time : 



1. One shot near Stanpit Marsh, Christchurch, Hants., in 1846. 



2. One obtained near Yarmouth, Isle of Wight {Birds of 

 Hants., p. 40). 3. One obtained at Whitby, Yorks., in March, 

 1872. 4. One taken to Mr. Robert Lee of Thirsk, many 

 years ago : the Keighley example mentioned in Saunders's 

 Manual is not authentic {Birds of Yorks., p. 115). 5. One 

 taken about 1840 in Suffolk. 6. One shot at Melton, Suffolk, 

 about 1873 {Birds of Suffolk, pp. 251 and 63). A few other 

 examples have been recorded as seen. There appears to be 

 no Scotch-taken specimen of a Crested Tit, outside the birds' 

 breeding area (Spey Valley), in existence, and the only likely 

 record is that by Seebohm for Argyllshire {cf. Fauna of Tay 

 Basin, etc., pp. 92-94, and footnote, p. 94). Of the specimens 

 enumerated above. No. I is in Mr. Hart's collection at Christ- 

 church, and I have not yet been able to examine it ; No. 4, 

 Mr. R. Lee informs me, was obtained more than forty years 



