56 BIRDS OF IVODDLESEX. 



Goldcrest is occasionally to be seen there in sum- 

 mer, wherever any larch or fir-trees abound, and 

 that he has more than once taken the nest. Mr. 

 Belfrage has found this species breeding at Muswell 

 Hill, and I have obtained a nest and eggs in the 

 neighbourhood of Pinner. 



The song of the Goldcrest is a short strain, 

 repeated at intervals, and although somewhat weak, 

 is not disagreeable. It is generally warbled in- 

 wardly in such a way that the bird, although per- 

 haps near, appears to be at some little distance. 



It is erroneousl}^ supposed by many that the only 

 difference between the Goldcrest and the Firecrest 

 consists in the crest of the latter being of a more 

 flaming yellow than that of the former. If this were 

 so, the difficulty in distinguishing the two species 

 would be great. A much clearer difference than 

 this, however, exists. The Firecrest invariably has 

 a white line both above and below the eye, and a 

 black line running through the eye; hence Tem- 

 minck calls it, " Roitelet a triple bandeau.'' These 

 three lines are absent in the Goldcrest. 



Family Parid^. 



Crested Tit, Parus cristatus. Mr. W. Warner, 

 the lessee of the fishery at Kingsbury, has a small 

 collection of birds shot in that neighbourhood. On 

 looking through this collection, I was agreeably 



