12 



PERCHING BIRDS 



into orange, and flanked on each side by a yellow-streaked black 

 line, renders the species absolutely unmistakable. It may be added, 

 however, that the upper-parts are olive-green, and the under-parts, 

 except for an olive tinge on the flanks, white. In females the crown 

 is uniformly pale yellow ; while young birds altogether lack the yellow 

 on the upper surface of the head, which is darker than the back. 

 This absence of the bright-coloured crown in young gold-crests is 

 very noteworthy, since it shows a condition precisel}' the opposite 



of that which occurs in some 

 woodpeckers (see page 445). 



The species has a very 

 extensive geographical range, 

 ranging from Ireland across 

 Europe and Asia north of, 

 and inclusive of, the Himalaya 

 to the Pacific and Japan ; the 

 Japanese bird being, however, 

 recognisable as a local race 

 on account of its greyish nape. 

 Northward it goes in summer 

 as far as the Arctic Circle in 

 Scandinavia. Throughout the 

 more northern part of its range 

 the gold-crest is indeed a mi- 

 gratory bird, and large flocks 

 arrive in autumn on the east 

 coasts of England to reinforce 

 their resident brethren, tak- 

 ing their departure in April. 

 During the journey across the 

 North Sea some at least of 

 these tiny travellers ride on the backs of larger birds, such as owls. 

 Golden-crested wrens are to be found in their favourite fir-woods, fir- 

 plantations, or solitary conifers in gardens throughout the mainland of 

 Great liritain and Ireland, although stated in England to be more 

 common in the north and cast than elsewhere. 



The gold-crest, the smallest European bird, generally as.sociates 

 in parties, and feeds entirely on insects. Its low but melodious song 

 often reveals its presence in a yew-hedge. A beautiful structure is 

 the gold-crest's nest, made as it is of green moss, sometimes with the 

 addition of spiders' web and hair and lined with feathers ; the whole 



MOUNTED 1h TM£ ROWLAND WARD 6TUDI0S 



GOLDEN-CRESTKD WkKN. 



