AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 135 



in his work on the ' Birds of the Humber District,' 

 that, in the portion of England of which he treats, 

 " the autumnal migration of this species is as well 



established as that of the Woodcock it is 



known as the Woodcock-pilot and often 



alights on smacks in the North Sea, and in foggy 

 weather perishes by hundreds." 



The call-note of the Goldcrest is peculiar, and 

 constantly repeated whilst the birds are on their 

 excursions. In very cold weather I have found a 

 family of perhaps a dozen of these little birds 

 clustered together for warmth beneath the snow- 

 laden bough of an old yew tree, to the under surface 

 of which the uppermost birds were clinging by their 

 feet, whilst, as far as I could see, the others clung to 

 them and to one another, so as to form a closely 

 packed feathery ball. I happened to notice this by 

 chance, and, in the gloom of the overhanging boughs, 

 thought it was an old nest, but on touching it with 

 the end of a walking-stick, the supposed nest dis- 

 solved itself into a number of these minute creatures, 

 who did not appear much alarmed, but dispersed 

 themselves on the adjoining boughs, and, no doubt, 

 soon resumed their previous formation, which I was 

 sorry to have disturbed. Although the nests of the 

 Goldcrest are generally placed under the branches 

 of a yew or fir tree, we have twice found them in a 

 thin fence at about five feet from the ground ; the 

 materials are soft moss and lichens, wool, a little 

 grass, and a mass of small feathers by way of lining. 

 The eggs are of a yellowish white, very closely 

 spotted or clouded with pale rust-colour, and vary in 

 number from six or seven to ten or more ; I once 

 found twelve in one nest. 



