

THE GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 129 



bathing in the rain-water which had collected in the 

 broad leaves. He walked through the plot, and, 

 with a butterfly-net, caught ten or twelve specimens. 

 Some of these lived in confinement for a fortnight, 

 and were supplied regularly with insects. They 

 became tame almost immediately, and frequently 

 perching on his hand when held out to them, and 

 were most interesting pets ; but a single night's frost 

 killed them all. 



This sensitiveness to frost when in captivity is 

 curious, for in a state of freedom they seem well 

 able to withstand cold. This must, in some 

 measure, be due to their great activity and constant 

 motion, which doubtless enables them to a great 

 extent to counteract the effects of seasons, and 

 support the rigours of an English winter. 



On this point the following evidence is furnished 



by the Hon. and Rev. W. Herbert, who says " I 

 once caught half a dozen Goldcrests at the beginning 

 of winter, and they lived extremely well upon egg 

 and meat, being exceedingly tame. At roosting 

 time there was always a whimsical conflict amongst 

 them for the inside places, as being the warmest, 

 which ended, of course, by the weakest going to the 



K 



