THE GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 85 



effected through the agency of man. In one particular respect man no doubt does 

 exert a noticeable influence on the numbers of bird-life, not however by means of 

 net and gun, but rather by the increasing cultivation of the soil, which roots out 

 every bush and shrub, great or small, as a useless obstacle, and thus robs the bird 

 of even the last natural protection of its nest. Having thus driven the poor 

 creatures, into distant and less densely populated districts, we complain that we no 

 longer hear their merry song, unconscious of the fact that we are ourselves 

 responsible for the cause." 



This is a point which I have always insisted upon : no Act for the protection 

 of wild birds, which does not forbid the wholesale grubbing of woods, and so-called 

 " waste land," will ever prevent the diminution of bird-life in our Islands. 



The Gold-crest is generally distributed over Europe in Scandinavia northward 

 to the Arctic Circle, and in Russia from Archangel and the Ural Mountains ; in 

 the east, southwards to the Himalayas and China, and in the west down to the 

 Mediterranean. 



Dixoii (Jottings about Birds, p. 70) observes : " It is said that the Gold-crest, 

 R. cristatits (Koch) visits Algeria in winter, but I cannot find any conclusive 

 evidence of the fact. It is said regularly to pass Malta on migration in spring 

 and autumn." 



In Great Britain it is generally distributed wherever coniferous trees occur, 

 and breeds with us. 



Although the Gold-crest is the smallest British bird, its migratory powers are 

 inferior to none, and its capacity for resisting cold so great, that it remains with 

 us even in our severest winters : it is a common error to suppose that size neces- 

 sarily accompanies vigour, inasmuch as many of the tiniest birds are undoubtedly 

 far more hardy than larger species : as an instance, I would call attention to the 

 little Indian Avadavat, which I have proved to be indifferent to 21 degrees of 

 frost ; whereas many of the larger parrots, at anyrate if recently imported, as some 

 of my Waxbills had been, would have succumbed to a considerably higher 

 temperature. 



The male Gold-crest is olive-green above more or less suffused with yellowish ; 

 the crown of the head bright yellow in front shading into orange behind and 

 bounded by a blackish streak, below which is a greyish white superciliary streak ; 

 the wing and tail-feathers are greyish brown, the median and greater wing-coverts 

 edged with white, the primary-coverts being blackish ; secondaries tipped with 

 white ; under parts pale greyish-brown or greenish-buff, whiter 011 the abdomen ; 

 bill blackish-brown, feet brown, iris hazel. 



The female is less brightly coloured than the male, the crown brown-yellow 



VOL. I. O 



