686 Biography of the Gold-crested Kinglet. 



" seems to prefer the oak trees in preference to all others." 

 Pennant also remarks, " the golden-crowned warbler fre- 

 quents woods, and is found principally in oak trees." {Brit. 

 Zool., i. 515.) That they may be seen among oaks I have no 

 doubt ; but, as far as my observation has gone, they do not 

 show such a decided liking for those glories of the English 

 forests, as for the pride of the Scottish mountain tops, the 

 gloomy pine. The chief reason for their preference for 

 spruce, fir, cedar, and yew trees, is, the abundant nourishment 

 which they afford in the shape of innumerable minute winged 

 insects, which swarm on the bark and among the foliage. 

 These form the chief food of the little kinglets, who are un- 

 ceasingly hunting for their insect prey. Thus the cut bono of 

 those little birds in the economy of nature becomes at once 

 evident, and they are as certainly, though perhaps less ob- 

 viously, employed in the service of man, as the rook when 

 delving in the newly sown field. 



Goldcrests are far from being so scarce as is generally be- 

 lieved. This general impression of their small numbers most 

 probably arose from the haunts of the birds, which are pecu- 

 liarly fitted for concealment. Even that close observer, Gil- 

 bert White, says, " they (goldcrests) are almost as rare 

 as any bird we know." (Nat. Hist. Selb., 131.) Indeed, I 

 believe that this bird is rarer in the southern parts of Britain 

 than 'in the northern ; but if any one will direct his steps to 

 such places as I have indicated above, and seat himself on 

 some mossy piece of rising ground (which abound in those 

 localities), I am confident he will soon hear the silver chirp of 

 the winged sprites, and, ere long, catch glimpses of them as 

 they flit about and dart, meteor-like, from spray to spray, as 

 intent on their perpetual insect hunt, and as unconcerned of 

 aught else, as if that were the only employment of any moment 

 in the world. What Mudie says of the red ptarmigan will in 

 some measure apply to the goldcrested kinglets : — " So dif- 

 ficult is it to raise red grous, especially when the season has 

 been rather unfavourable, and they are not in good feather, 

 that one who has little knowledge of the moors may wander 

 for days, in the places where they are most abundant, and not 

 see a single bird." (Feathered Tribes, i. 33.) But, though 

 goldcrests are generally abundant in their favourite haunts, it 

 is certain that they are scarcer during some seasons than 

 others, which I am inclined to attribute to the migration of 

 part of their numbers. The peninsula of Scandinavia is the 

 probable place of retreat, as well as for the crossbills, the field 

 thrushes (Tiirdus pilaris Will.), and some others. Their 

 migration is rendered the more probable from their having 



