162 ALPINE ACCENTOR. 



FIRECREST. 



REGULUS IGNICAPILLUS. 

 Sub-family PARING. Genus REGULUS. 



A rare winter visitor to our southern counties. It 

 is very like the Goldcrest, but rather larger ; the tuft 

 of feathers on the head is larger and the tail is longer. 

 The nest is also similar to the Goldcrest's, but it is 

 not known to have bred here. The eggs, five to ten 

 in number, are of a pale reddish-yellow tint, speckled 

 with yellowish grey. 



CRESTED TIT. 



PARUS CRISTATUS. 

 Sub-family PARING. Genus PARUS. 



A rare and local resident, breeding in Scotland. It 

 is one of our tiniest birds, being only about four inches 

 long, and the male weighing only about a quarter of 

 an ounce ; it will be known at once by the crest of 

 shining black feathers, edged with white. It builds 

 in holes of trees a nest of the same material as the 

 other Tits. The eggs, seven to ten, are white ; accord- 

 ing to one authority, speckled with light purple, and, 

 according to another, spotted with red or brown. 



ALPINE ACCENTOR. 



ACCENTOR ALPINUS. 

 Sub-family PARING. Genus ACCENTOR. 



Obtained about a dozen times in England, chiefly 

 in the south. 



