418 INSECTI VOILE. 



in the north-east gorge of Mam Suil remains frozen to the 

 bottom even in the warmest summers, and the mountain is 

 very copiously deluged with rain. 



I have been much in those forests, and in them at different 

 seasons, and never saw or even heard of the crested tit. That, 

 however, is no proof of its not being there, because the 

 golden crested-wren, which inhabits the same places, and is 

 presumed to be abundant, is rarely seen. To search an exten- 

 sive pine forest for a little bird is no very promising matter. 

 If the trees are young and close down to the ground, as they 

 generally are when they are in that state, it is impossible to 

 discover any bird except one which rises, because the rustling 

 of the branches is unavoidable, and sufficient to keep all the 

 feathered tribes beyond view of the tardy and laborious ob- 

 server ; and if the trees are aged, the branches are so far from 

 the ground that little birds are nearly out of view. The time 

 at which they would be best seen, would be when they resort 

 to the juniper bushes for winter feeding; but then both 

 ground and bushes are either covered with snow, or the former 

 is so sludgy as not to be easily walked on. Besides, there are 

 more than three hundred square miles of forests to examine, 

 and consequently one cannot very safely conclude that any 

 little bird whose habits are in perfect accordance with the 

 climate and locality may not be there. In matters of natural 

 history, observation tells us what there is, so far as it goes ; 

 but we have no guide whatever to what is not. 



The length of this species is rather more than four inches 

 and a half, the breadth about eight inches and a half, and the 

 weight between two and three drachms ; the bill is nearly 

 black, the feet lead-coloured, and the irides hazel. The upper 

 part of the body is olive brown, passing gradually into yel- 

 lowish white on the under part. The wings and tail are 

 dusky, the chin black, the cheeks hoary, or white mottled 

 with dusky. A black line passes above the eye, round the 



