100 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



Subfamily PHYLLOSCOPIN^. 



REGULUS CRISTATUS, Koch. 

 GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 



Regulus cristatus, Koch, Baier. Zool. p. 199 (1816) ; Gadow, Cat. Birds 

 Brit. Mas. viii, p. 80; Malherbc, Cat. Bais. d'Ois. Alg. p. 11 (1846); 

 Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, p. 302 (1867) ; Kocuitj, J. f. 0. 1888, 

 p. 175; id. J. f. 0. 1892, p. 371. 



Description. — Adult male, autumn, from Italy. 



Forehead and lores greyish, a dark brown streak above the forehead, 

 merging into a black stripe on each side of the crown, on the centre of 

 which is a brilliant orange-coloured crest surrounded by bright yellow; 

 upper plumage generally olive-green, greyer on the nape, and brighter on 

 the rump ; wings and tail greyish-brown, the secondaries and wing-coverts 

 tipped with white, and a black bar across the upper part of the former ; 

 underparts greyish-white, tinged with greenish on sides and flanks. 



Iris dark brown ; bill dark brown ; feet light brown, toes and claws 

 yellowish. 



Total length 3'65 inches, wing 2-10, culmeu 'So, tarsus 'GS. 



Adult female duller in colour, and with the crest light yellow. 



Soft parts as in the male ; measurements slightly less. 



The Gold-crest is said to be met with in Tunisia. Malherbe and 

 Loche both record it as occurring in Algeria, and a specimen of it 

 obtained by Loche in that country certainly exists in the Turati 

 Collection of the Milan Museum under the No. 17,630. Although 

 recent travellers in North-west Africa do not appear to have met with 

 the species, but only with the Fn-e-crest, it seems, nevertheless, 

 probable that the Gold-crest also occurs throughout the country north 

 of the Atlas, if not as a resident, or even as a regular winter migrant, 

 at any rate as an occasional or accidental visitor in severe winters. 

 In Sicily and Malta, so near the African continent, the species occurs 

 regularly as a winter migrant, and in the former of these islands it 

 is said to be partially resident. 



In its habits, note and food the Golden-crested Wren differs but 

 little from the followmg species, although it is perhaps less shy than 

 that bird. 



