I >>•/ 



CEESTED TITMOUSE. 



PARUS CRIST ATUS, Linn. 



Parus cristatus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 340 (1766) ; Naum. iv. 



p. 42 ; Macg. ii. p. 450 ; Hewitson, i. p. 154 ; Yarr. 



ed. 4, i. p. 499. 

 Lopliophanes cristatus, Dresser, iii. p. 151. 



Mesange hujjpee, French ; Hauhen-Meise, German ; Capu- 

 chino, Spanish. 



Although there are several records of the occurrence 

 of this pretty and remarkable little bird in England 

 and Ireland, some at least are not clearly or satisfac- 

 torily proven, and from a British point of view we may 

 fairly consider it to be virtually restricted to certain 

 districts in the Highlands of Scotland. My friend 

 Lieut.-Colonel Irby, who has very recently visited a 

 breeding-locality of this species, has furnished me with 

 the following remarks : — " The Crested Titmouse is 

 common in the Spey district, where there are old and 

 decayed pine-trees, but is very local — found in one 

 small valley and absent in the next. A hole about 

 eight inches deep and enlarged at the bottom is exca- 

 vated vertically in a rotten fir-stump or decayed alder, 

 and the nest, which is very scant, consists of moss lined 



