50 OUR MIGRANT BIRDS 



with black ; otherwise golden yellow. Bill red. Legs 

 lead-colour. Length 9 J in. Female duller and greener, 

 with reddish markings rather than black ; under parts 

 streaked with greyish. Young duller than female. 



Language. — Song not extensive, but melodious and 

 flute-like — " weet-li-wee-o." Call-note, a harsh " khrr." 



Habits. — Although not averse to man's haunts, it 

 is very shy, and prefers to sit in the umbrageous shelter 

 of some thick tree, as though self-conscious of its brilliant 

 exotic colouring. It flies like a thrush, only more 

 undulatingly, and in other habits reminds one of the 

 Thrush. 



Food. — Insects and their larvae, spiders, &c. ; specially 

 fond of cherries. 



Nest. — May or June. Probably one brood only. 



Site. — Usually suspended at the end of some small 

 bough of an oak or fir tree. 



Materials. — Bark-strips, grasses and wool lined with 

 grass ; hammock-like in appearance. 



Eggs. — Four to five. Glossy white, spotted with 

 dark brown. 



FIRE-CRESTED WREN (Regulus ignicapillus) . 



A casual visitor, usually between October and April, 

 and chiefly noted in the South and East. 



Plumage. — Much like the resident Gold Crest, but 

 differs in the more developed white superciliary streak 

 and yellowish frontal band ; also a black streak from 

 gape through eye, and slight moustachial streak. Neck 

 and shoulders brighter green. Bill black. Legs brown. 

 Length 3 J in. Female, duller and paler crest. Young, 

 no crest. 



