BIRDS OF THE WOODLANDS 97 



attracted by a tiny piping note, "si-si-si," and a 

 diminutive bird flits into view. If one remains quite 

 still, it appears to have little fear of the intruder, and 

 it soon draws nearer, exploring the feathery 

 branches of the firs, often hanging head-down- 

 wards from the finer sprays. Sometimes it will 

 come almost within reach of the hand, and as it 

 depends from the bough, the golden hue of the 

 crown can be clearly seen against the dark green 

 spines. In a little while several may be seen, for 

 small family parties, which are probabl}^ the comple- 

 ment of the previous year's nest, generally appear 

 together. Sometimes in early spring, it pauses to 

 utter a soft warbling song, its tiny frame quivering 

 in unison with its notes, but for the most part it is 

 silent, save -for the call-note, which is repeated 

 directly on alighting after each of its short flights, 

 as though to make those following aware of the 

 direction it has taken. 



The Golden-crest is an early bird to breed, the 

 eggs being laid bv the end of March or beginning of 

 April. The nest is a beautiful example of construc- 

 tion : a tiny cup of moss-green and silvery grey, 

 bearing some resemblance to that of the Chaffinch, 

 but instead of being fixed in some fork, it is care- 

 fully woven to the drooping sprays beneath the fir- 

 branch. As the elevation is fairly high and the very 

 extremity of the bough is usually chosen, the nest 

 is by no means easy for the collector to obtain. The 

 photograph shows a nest cut from the branch and 

 placed upon the ground so that the eggs may be 

 seen. 



Although the Golden-crest is resident in Great 

 7 



