CRESTED TITMOUSE. 
177 
the Duke of Gordon, from whence we have seen 
it.” Notwithstanding these good authorities, 
there has, until very lately, been a kind of doubt 
thrown over the occurrence of this bird in Scot- 
land, and by more modern authors our own 
authority for its occurrence has been added, and 
it rests on this, — we have made many excursions 
to the Highlands of Scotland, but were never so 
fortunate as to meet with a troop of these birds, 
though they were always anxiously watched for ; 
but Lieutenant Chauner, of the dragoons, in- 
formed me, that he had several times seen the 
bird brought fresh into Glasgow, killed in a 
plantation of fir not far distant. This gentleman 
was well acquainted with birds, and could scarcely 
be mistaken ; and now we have still less reason 
to doubt its occurrence, for Mr Yarrell gives us 
two instances, where the gentlemen shot and 
observed the bird itself, Thomas Macpherson 
Grant of Edinburgh, and F. W. Byge, Esq. of 
Hampton Court, who saw it in the pass of Killi- 
crankie. Its describers, Temminck, &c. say, that 
it inhabits pine forests, and that its habits are re- 
tired and shy ; and thus if a bird of local distribu- 
tion, it has been difficult to be traced, even though 
individuals have travelled purposely to search for 
it, and unless knowing and being familiar with its 
peculiar call, an ornithologist may traverse the 
extensive forests of lofty pines often and often, 
without passing the tract, or coming within the 
sound of the notes of these little birds. Such seems, 
in reality, to be the case, and we have little doubt 
M 
