GOLDEN-CRESTED WEEN — FIRE-CRESTED WREN. 69 



THE GOLDEW-CRESTED WREN". 



Reguliis cristatus. 



The Golden-crested Wren is a resident species, breeding 

 regularly, but not commonly except in certain spots, in fir 

 woods and spinneys, also in gardens, a preference being given 

 to those which abound in conifers and yew-trees, in which it 

 builds its wonderfully constructed nest suspended beneath the 

 outer branchlets. In the beautifully planted grounds of 

 Nuneham, where I have seen the nest, it breeds regularly and 

 plentifully (E. W. Harcourt), as many as seven nests having 

 been discovered in one year. There it usually builds in yew- 

 trees, but one nest was found in a box-bush. 



In winter, when the Gold-crest joins together in little bands, 

 it is probable that we are visited by migratory individuals. 

 A dozen were observed together in the larches on Chinnor 

 Hill on the 9th February, 1880, and I have several times seen 

 them in little flocks. In the early part of December, 1883, 

 Golden-crested Wrens were unusually abundant ; most of them 

 were doubtless immigrants from a distance, one having flown 

 through a window in Banbury, and several others being 

 captured about the same time. 



THE PIRE-CRESTED WREW. 

 Regulus ignicapillus. 

 The Fire-crested Wren is an occasional visitor of very rare 

 occurrence. An adult male, now in Mr. F. C. Aplin's 

 collection, was killed near Banbury in December, 1881 ; 

 another was seen by Mr. A. B. R. Battye twisting about in 

 a yew-tree in the Botanic Garden, Oxford, on the 16th 

 February, 1883. In a case of locally common birds, set up 

 some years ago by a working man in Banbury, I detected a 

 male Fire-crest. While unable to obtain any precise informa- 

 tion as to where they were killed, I have little doubt but 

 that they were all procured in the immediate neighbourhood. 



