56 BIEDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



Goldcrest is occasionally to be seen there in sum- 

 mer, wherever any larch or fir-trees ahound, 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 erroneously 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, " Eoitelet a triple bandeau." These 

 three lines are absent in the Goldcrest. 



Family PAKIDJE. 



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 



