THE GOLD-CREST 33 



a practised observer, they are likely to be mistaken for one another. 

 In song, however, they differ materially, and as this is begun early, 

 and continued till very late in the season, it affords ready means 

 of discriminating the species. The Wood-warbler, or Wood-wren 

 as it is now called, arrives in England towards the end of April, 

 and betakes itself to woodland districts, where it spends the greater 

 portion of its time among the upper branches of lofty trees, constantly 

 moving from place to place with rapid irregular flight, and fre- 

 quently repeating its short and peculiar song. It feeds exclusively 

 on insects, which it occasionally catches on the wing. Its song is 

 difficult to describe. The name by which it is popularly known 

 in some parts of France, TouUe, is derived from the syllable 

 'tweet', which, rapidly and continuously repeated many times, 

 constitutes its song. These notes are uttered in a sweet tone, and 

 with a tremulous accent, and are unlike those of any other bird. 

 Gilbert White, who appears to have been the first who noticed the 

 bird, describes it as " joyous, easy, and laughing". The last notes 

 of its strain are accompanied by a quivering of the wings and tail, 

 which accounts for their tremulous sound. 



The Wood-warbler is much less frequent than either the Willow- 

 warbler or Chiff-chaff, and on a close inspection may be distin- 

 guished by its superior size, by the pure white of its under tail- 

 coverts, and by the bright yellow line above the eye. The nest 

 is composed of grass, ferns, and moss, and lined with line grass and 

 hair ; it is covered with a dome, an entrance being left sufficiently 

 large to allow its contents to be seen, and is placed on the ground, 

 in or near a wood, among thick herbage, or against the stump of 

 a tree. The eggs are from five to seven in number, almost round, 

 and so thickly spotted with purple-brown that the ground is almost 

 invisible. 



Sub-Family REGULINvE 

 THE GOLD-CREST 



REGULUS CRISTATUS 



Upper parts olive, tinged with yellow ; cheeks ash colour, without streaks ; 

 wing greyish brown, with two transverse white bands ; crest bright 

 yellow, tipped with orange and bounded on each side by a black line ; 

 under parts yellowish gre>-. In the female the crest is lemon colour, 

 and the other tints are less brilliant. Each nostril is covered by one buff 

 feather. Length three inches and a half. Eggs cream colour, minutely 

 mottled at one end. 



The Gold-crest, Golden-crested Regulus, or Golden-crested 

 Wren, though not exceeding in dimensions some of the larger 

 humming-birds, and though decorated with a crest equalling in 



B.B. D 



