PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 183 



tiiirnt.ll blue-tit has occurred on the Tearaght Light (off Kerry), but there in no 

 other evidence of transmarine migration to or from that country. The bird IB a 

 gregarious and, according to Gatke, a diurnal migrant (of. Saundera, Man. lirit. It.. 

 2nd ed., 1899, p. 109 ; Nelson, B. of York*., 1907, p. 108 ; Gitke, Vogrhwrt, 

 Helgoland, Eng. trans., 1895, p. 416 ; and Ussher and Warren, B. of Ireland, 1900, 

 p. 32). [A. L. T.] 



SCOTTISH CRESTED-TIT (Panu cridatu* tcoix**, Pnfek. 

 French, tnisange huppfe ; German, Haulxnmeise ; Italian, cincia col ciufjo]. 



I. Description. The crested-tit may be readily identified by the long 

 black, white-tipped leathers of the crown, and the large area of white on the sides 

 of the head and neck. The sexes differ but slightly. There is no seasonal change 

 of coloration. (PI. 65.) Length 4*5 in. (M6 mm.]. In the middle the crown feathers 

 are considerably elongated, tipped with white, and from a conspicuous erectile crest. 

 The forehead, side of the head, and neck are white, relieved firstly by a black line 

 running backwards from the eye, and downwards to partly encircle the ear-coverts, 

 and secondly, by a black band running from the nape downwards to serve as a 

 border to the white neck patch, terminating finally in a large gorget of black, cover- 

 ing the fore-neck and throat. The upper parts are of a warm olive-brown, or greyish 

 brown, the wings and tail marked by greyer, while the inner secondaries have pale 

 tips. The breast and abdomen are white, the flanks and under tail-coverts buff. 

 Legs and toes lead colour. The female differs from the male in having a slightly 

 shorter crest, and a little less black on the throat. The juvenile plumage resembles 

 that of the adult, but the black on the crown is devoid of gloss, and the white tips 

 to these feathers are but slightly developed ; the crest, too, is less developed. The 

 upper parts are conspicuously darker and greyer, and the white cheeks have a buff 

 tinge. The under parts are duller than in the adult, [w. p. p.] 



3. Distribution. This is another species which is subject to much local 

 variation. In the British Isles it is resident in a very restricted area ; in fact it 

 may roughly be said to be confined to the basin of the Spey, although recently it has 

 somewhat extended its range. Formerly it was only met with in an area 30 miles 

 long and varying from 7 to 10 miles wide (Harvie-Brown and Buckley, Vertebrate 

 Fauna of the Moray Basin, i. p. 255), but of late years this district appears to have 

 become congested and a process of gradual expansion has taken place (Vertebrate 

 Fauna of the Toy Basin and Strathmore, pp. 93-4). [F. c. B. J.] 



