

THE CRESTED TIT. 163 



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, 

 Parus cristatus, may yet 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 similarly rendered si, si, si; but when carefully analyzed it 

 resolves itself into /say, or chee, or /see: in any case it is probable that the combi- 

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

 or tsee 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 confirmation. 

 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.* 



The nest itself is formed of the usual materials moss, dry grass, wool, feathers, 

 and fur ; constructed generally about the end of April, or beginning of May. The 

 eggs are said to number from four to eight, the full clutch probably would be 

 from six to eight, if one may judge from its congeners. In colouring they seem 

 to vary much as in the other species ; they are white, spotted and speckled with 

 brownish or sienna-red, sometimes all over, sometimes in blotches, or with a zone 

 towards the larger end, occasionally with an irregular patch at that end. 



It is very probable that, in Germany, this species may be kept as a cage-bird, 

 but in England I have never seen it in confinement ; Swaysland, however, speaks 

 of it as " a very desirable addition to an aviary of Tits," therefore he may possibly 

 have been more fortunate. 



* 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. 



