50 OUR MIGRANT BIRDS 



with black ; otherwise golden yellow. Bill red. Legs 

 lead-colour. Length 9^ 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^ in. Female, duller and paler crest. Young, 

 no crest. 



