I1I2 CRESTED TITMOUSE. 
sparingly in several districts of Holland, principally in oak-trees, for 
abroad it is by no means restricted to conifers. It inhabits the pine- 
forests of Scandinavia and Russia up to about 64° N. lat.; and 
eastward it can be traced as far as the valleys of the Don and 
the Volga. In Germany and in the higher districts of France it 
is tolerably abundant wherever firs are plentiful; while in the Jura, 
Alps, Carpathians, and other ranges down to the Balkans it is 
generally distributed, though it does not go far into Italy. In some 
parts of the Lower Pyrenees I found it common ; and in the south 
of France, as well as in Spain, it may often be observed among 
trees close by the sea. In the latter country it breeds in the cork- 
woods in the vicinity of Gibraltar, as well as on higher ground ; it is 
also frequent in Portugal. It has not yet been obtained in North 
Africa, Greece, or Asia Minor. 
In Scotland, the nest of the Crested Titmouse is often placed in 
the rotten stump of a fir, a hole being bored in the tree, from 
two to eight feet above the ground; it may be in old stumps of 
large trees within six inches of the soil, sometimes in gate-posts, 
iron supports of fences, and fissures in living firs. In Germany, the 
deserted nests of Magpies, Crows, and squirrels are also utilized ; 
and the bird has been seen by an excellent observer to occupy nests 
built in bushes, apparently those of the Wren and the Long-tailed 
Titmouse. The materials are moss, deer’s hair, wool and fur, felted 
together ; the eggs (usually laid in Scotland at the end of April or 
early in May), are from 5-8 in number, and are white, boldly 
spotted or zoned with light red: measurements ‘62 by ‘48 in. Two 
broods are sometimes produced in the season. The food of this 
bird consists of insects and their larve, small seeds, and berries. The 
note is zee-zee. The bird is very lively in its habits, flitting rapidly 
from one pine to another, and it may often be seen during winter 
in company with Tree-Creepers, Golden-crested Wrens and Tits. 
In the adult male the feathers of the head are dull black, broadly 
edged with greyish-white, and prolonged into a conspicuous crest ; 
on either side a black streak runs from the eye to the back of the 
head ; these join, and descend behind the cheeks (which are mottled 
with black and white) till they meet the black throat and upper 
breast ; back and wings olive-brown ; quills and tail hair-brown ; 
abdomen dull white, turning to buff on the flanks ; bill black ; feet 
and legs lead-colour. Length 4°5 in.; wing to the tip of the 4th 
and longest primary, 2°5 in. The female has a shorter crest and 
less black on the throat; and the young are like her, but have 
hardly any crest. 
