NS BRITISH BIRDS, WITH THEIR NESTS AND Eccs 



which borders the pathway, by the continuous twittering of a small bird. On 

 looking closely, I found the bush, small as it was, literally covered with Golden- 

 crested Wrens. There was hardly an inch of twig that had not a bird on it, and 

 even from my rough attempt at calculation at the time, I feel sure there were at 

 least between two and three hundred. Most of them were either females or young 

 birds, having a lemon-coloured crest ; they were perfectly tame, and although I sat 

 down on the other side of the ditch, within six feet, and watched them for some 

 time, they did not attempt to fly away ; but one or more would occasionally rise 

 off its perch, hover like a butterfly, and settle again in some other position. I 

 went the next morning to look for them, but they were all gone. The wind had 

 been easterly, with much fog.' ' 



The food of the Gold-crest consists principally of insects, small spiders, &c. ; 

 but it eats a few seeds and small berries : in captivity Abrahams' food and bread- 

 crumbs moistened, also boiled potato, cooked the previous day, and finely chopped 

 up with yolk of egg, would form a good staple diet; small mealworms, ant's larvae, 

 small caterpillars, flies, and spiders being given when procurable. 



Although sometimes kept in quite small cages, this bird, to be properly 

 studied, should be turned loose in a moderately large aviary, planted with firs 

 and yews ; or at any rate with a few pot specimens of these trees standing about ; 

 but whether it be kept in cage or aviary, a snugly lined box should be hung up 

 in one corner to which it may retire for warmth at night ; for, although the Gold- 

 crest is undoubtedly a hardy bird like the Tits, captivity at best deprives it of 

 much of the free exercise which it takes throughout the day when at liberty ; this, 

 in conjunction with somewhat unnatural diet, less pure air, and the lack of 

 companionship of any of its own species, doubtless tend to weaken and undermine 

 the constitution of this feathered mite. 



In my opinion a bird which is never seen singly, but, at the very least in 

 pairs, should not be caged by itself; solitary confinement may not be objectionable 

 to a parrot ; but to a species which, when not breeding, is seen in family parties, 

 small companies, or even in countless myriads, solitary confinement must be in the 

 highest degree irksome : an aviary about eight feet square, devoted to a score or 

 so of these fairy-like little birds, would be " a thing of beauty and a joy for ever." 



