above, streaked with a paler shade of brown, while the under 
parts are white, tinged on the breast and flanks with creamy buff. 
Ornithologists rarely concern themselves with anything but 
the superficial characters of birds. Not even the structure of the 
feathers interests them, but only their coloration. Hence it is that 
they have come, quite commonly, to regard the gold-crest, or 
* gold-crested wren,” as it is sometimes called, as one of the tit- 
mouse group! There is not even the remotest justification for 
this view. It is an indubitable warbler. A glance at the coloured 
Plate will render any description of its appearance un- 
necessary. From autumn to spring you may find it in most parts 
of England and Scotland—save the extreme north—hunting in 
hedgerows and woods for food. During the breeding season it 
favours coniferous woods. Along the south and east of England, 
one may also meet with a closely similar species—the fire-crest. 
But while in the gold-crest the crown is of a bright lemon-yellow, 
in the fire-crest it is of a bright red-orange hue, while the side 
of the head is marked by a white stripe bordered with black. 
The gold-crest is our smallest British bird. The ranks of 
our resident ‘ gold-crests,’ in the autumn, are swollen by 
immigrants from northern Europe, who seek shelter with us 
because unable to withstand the rigours of the more northern 
winter. In the matter of size the gold, and fire-crested wrens 
agree, measuring but a trifle more than three and a half inches 
83 
