REGULUS.] AVES INSESSORES. 113 



sides the same, but not so bright; middle of the belly white: quills 

 dusky ; the outer webs edged with dark cinereous, the inner with dark 

 reddish brown : tail blackish brown ; the outer feather tipped, and edged 

 externally, with white : bill yellowish white at the base, black at the tip : 

 feet yellowish. (Female and young.) Colours paler : throat more or less 

 speckled and streaked with white. (Egg.) Greenish white ground, 

 speckled all over with olivaceous brown and cinereous; the markings 

 most numerous at the larger end : long. diam. eight lines ; trans, diam. 

 five lines and a half. 



A local species ; found in Kent, Middlesex, Hampshire, Sussex, Surrey, 

 Devonshire, Cornwall, and a few other parts of England. Remains in this 

 country throughout the year. Haunts chiefly downs and furzy commons. 

 Feeds on insects. "Nest somewhat similar to that of the Whitethroat; 

 artfully concealed in the thickest bushes. Young broods fledged in May. 



GEN. 20. REGULUS, Cuv. 



60. R. aurocapillus, Selby. (Gold-crested Regulus.) 

 Upper parts greenish yellow : cheeks and region of the eyes 

 cinereous, without any white bands : crown-feathers elon- 

 gated, forming a bright yellow orange crest. 



Sylvia Regulus, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. i. p. 229. Gold-crested 

 Regulus, Selb. Illust. vol. i. p. 229. pi. 47. f. 4 & 5. Golden-Crested 

 Wren, Mont. Orn. Diet. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 260. 



DIMENS. Entire length three inches six lines: length of the bill 

 (from the forehead) three lines and a half, (from the gape) five lines; 

 of the tarsus seven lines and a half; of the tail one inch five lines; from 

 the carpus to the end of the wing one inch eleven lines : breadth, wings 

 extended, five inches six lines. . 



DESCRIPT. Upper parts of the plumage olive-green, tinged with 

 yellow: feathers on the top of the head long and narrow, forming a 

 crest, of a rich orange-yellow, the sides bordered with black: base of 

 the bill, cheeks, throat, and region of the eyes, cinereous; the rest of 

 the under parts the same, but with a tinge of yellow : quills dusky, edged 

 with yellowish green; secondaries crossed by a black bar; wing-coverts 

 dusky brown, edged with yellow and tippei with white: tail blackish 

 brown ; the feathers edged outwardly with yellowish green, inwardly with 

 whitish : bill black : irides hazel : feet brown. (Female.) Colours gene- 

 rally paler : crest on the head smaller, and of a pale lemon-yellow ; the 

 lateral edging of black narrower, and less conspicuous. (Egg.) Dull pale 

 reddish white : long. diam. six lines ; trans, diam. five lines. 



Not uncommon, and generally dispersed throughout the kingdom. 

 Does not migrate. Frequents woods and plantations, especially those 

 of fir. Song weak and inward ; heard as early as February. Nes't gene- 

 rally suspended from the under surface of the branches of spruce firs ; 

 formed principally of moss, and lined with feathers. Eggs seven to ten 

 in number. Breeds early in the year. 



61. R. ignicapillus, Nob. (Fire-crested Regulus.) 

 Upper parts yellowish green, passing into pure yellow 

 on the sides of the neck ; cheeks with three longitudinal 

 streaks, one black and two white : crown-feathers elongated, 

 of a brilliant flame-red. 



H 



