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(Parus cristatus, Linn.—Le Mésange Huppée.)
THIS shy and solitary species is rather more than four inches and a half in length. It is distinguished from the rest of the genus by having its head ornamented with a peaked crest of black feathers, narrowly margined with white; those beneath the crest and the brow are of the same colours, but the white greatly predominates. The bill and irides are dusky; the cheeks, and sides of the head and neck dull white; the chin, and fore part of the neck to the breast black; from thence a line of the same branches off, and bounding the white part of the neck, extends to the hinder part of the head; the auriculars, with the exception of a white spot in the middle, are black, and form a patch, which is pointed off towards the nape; the back and coverts are rusty dull brown; the quills and tail nearly the same, but more deeply tinged with rust colour; the breast, belly, and sides also partake of the same colours, but are much paler; the legs are lead colour, tinged with pale brown.
Some of the species have been met with in Scotland, but are considered rare visitants. They take up their abode in the deep recesses of forests, in various parts of the continent of Europe, and prefer the shelter of evergreen trees; but from their being of so retired a disposition, they are seldom seen there, even by the few whose business may lead them into these gloomy wilds. The above figure was made from a preserved specimen obligingly lent to this work by the Hon. H. T. Liddell, of Ravensworth Castle.
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