154 
PAIUDJL 
hVSESSORES. 
DEN TIROSTRES. 
PARI DAL 
CRESTED TITMOUSE. 
Parus cristatus. 
PLATE XXXIX. FIG. III. 
The Crested Titmouse lias now for some years 
been met with breeding in several of the pine forests of 
Scotland. 
Mr. Hancock, of Newcastle, who has kindly sent me 
the following information with the egg which I have 
figured, found several of their nests, during an orni¬ 
thological excursion in Scotland, in the woods of Mur- 
rayshire. “About the middle of April they were 
only in process of building, but by the 6th of May, 
when the nests were taken, the eggs were five in 
number; whether this is the full compliment or not 
I am not prepared to say. The nests were all placed 
in similar situations in holes of old stumps of trees 
from three to six feet above the ground. The nest 
is composed of rabbits’ or hares’ down, a little moss, 
and a few feathers. At first sight it appears to be com¬ 
posed entirely of down, but on close examination the 
materials are seen to be as above.” 
In its actions and habits the Crested Titmouse re¬ 
sembles the blue titmouse so closely, that, when in the 
branches of a tree above your head, it is only by the 
crest that you can distinguish it. It is alike noisy, and 
always on the move. 
I have watched them for hours, as, in busy pursuit of 
