412 REGULUS AURICAPILLUS. 



Early in spring it commences its song, which consists of a 

 few feeble notes, and about the end of March begins to prepare 

 for the important duty of rearing its young. The nest is gene- 

 rally suspended from a twig, so as to rest upon the branch im- 

 mediately below ; at least this is the case when a spruce fir 

 has been selected. It is beautifully constructed of moss and 

 lichens, interwoven with wool, and lined with feathers, I 

 have before me three specimens furnished by Mr Weir. Two 

 of them are globular ; the first formed as described, and having 

 very small feathers in the interior ; its external diameter three 

 inches and a half, that of the mouth, which is the uppermost 

 part, an inch and a half ; the second similar in form, but com- 

 posed of moss mixed with willow down, and a few hairs, and 

 lined with feathers of various kinds, some of them larse. The 

 third, which was suspended from a larch twig, is four-sided, or 

 cubical, and is constructed of the same materials. The moss 

 has been cut small in all these nests, and the feathers have 

 been stuck into the walls of the nest so as to project inward, 

 and in a manner to cover the mouth. The eggs vary from five 

 to seven or eight, and are sometimes almost globular, but 

 generally broadly ovate, from five and a half to six twelfths of 

 an inch in length, and averaging nearly five-twelfths across. 

 They are usually brownish or reddish-white, much darker, or 

 light reddish-brown, at the larger end. They are smaller than 

 the eggs of any other British bird, those of the Longtailed Tit 

 being next in size. 



Mr Selby, to whom we are indebted for many valuable con- 

 tributions to our knowledge respecting the birds of Britain, 

 communicated to the Wernerian Society in 1824 a very in- 

 teresting paper on this bird. He had for some years remarked 

 that towards the end of October, the Golden-crested Reguli 

 became very numerous along the coast of Northumberland, and 

 in 1822, had the pleasure of witnessing their arrival. " This 

 happened after a severe gale, which commenced on the 24th of 

 October, at N.E., and continued during the whole of the 25th ; 

 but which for some hours previous to its conclusion, veered 

 about to the E. and S. of E. On the morning of the 26th 

 they were seen to arrive by hundreds upon the beach, so fa- 

 tigued and overcome by the unfavourable change of wind, the 



