94
THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
Blue Tit: Parus caruleus. Locally "Pick-cheese" and
" Blue-cap " (E. A. F.).
A very abundant resident.
 The following is
taken from the Chelms-
ford Chronicle of June
6th, 1884 :
" In a hole one inch
in diameter in one of
the buffers of railway
carriage No. 79, the
property of the Great
Eastern Railway Com-
pany, which makes
daily excursions be-
tween Thorpe and Clac-
ton-on-Sea [fivemiles],
a Tomtit has made its
nest, laid its eggs, and
is at the present sitting
upon them. * * * The
buffer » * is often in
violent concussion with
other carriages. Not-
withstanding this fact,
the bird is always to
be found on its nest.
At the end of the day's
work, the carriage is shunted at Thorpe for the night, and at that period the male
bird invariably pays a visit to its mate."
Crested Tit: Parus cristatus.
A scarce and local resident in certain parts of Scotland, but
only a very rare and accidental
straggler to England, though two or
three individuals are said to have been
either seen or killed at or near Saf-
fron Walden at different times in the
first half of the century. It is now
all but impossible to substantiate
these unsatisfactory records, which
must, therefore, pass for what they
are worth.
Mr. Joseph Clarke relates (24) that two
were killed at Ashdon in 1829, one of
which was in the possession of Joseph
Stager (?), a bird-stuffer. The late Mr.
Chater of Saffron Walden also informed
Mr. Clarke that one was killed in his
Nursery in 1844. Mr. Travis informs me that he saw one whilst walking in
Audley End Park many years ago.