THE FIRE-CRESTED WREN. 91 



the branches for twenty feet are broken off for fuel, you require a glass to see 

 them well." (British Birds, vol. i, p. 459). 



Seebohm quotes the following from Dixon's Algerian notes on this species : 

 " The trees are full of life. Here in close company with the rare Algerian Coal 

 Tit, the Fire-crest is very common. It is seen in the tall cedar trees, and is 

 restless and busy amongst the branches fifty feet above, exploring all the twigs in 

 search of its favourite food. The Fire-crest is also almost as common in the 

 evergreen-oak forests, searching the lower branches all amongst the lichens and 

 tree-moss for insects ; and every now and then its brilliant crest glistens conspic- 

 uously in the sunlight. Its note sounds shriller to me than a Gold-crest's ; but I 

 think it was quite as familiar and trustful as that other little favourite bird of 

 mine. In its motions it puts you in mind of the Willow Wrens ; and when, as I 

 have sometimes seen it, hanging with one leg from a drooping bough, picking 

 out the insects from a bud, it looks precisely like a Tit. Although we were in 

 these forests in May, the birds did not seem to have begun to breed." 



Other writers, however, state that the note of the Fire-crest is "not so shrill" 

 as that of the commoner species. 



The eggs, although averaging about the same number as those of the Gold- 

 crest, are, I believe invariably, redder than even the most rusty eggs of that 

 species, the markings usually covering their entire surface. 



Speaking of the nesting of this species Howard Saunders remarks : " In 

 Germany the branches of a fir-tree are almost invariably selected ; the nest being 

 seldom found in pines or larches ; and the same trees are frequented year after 

 year. In the above country nesting does not begin before May ; but in the south 

 of Spain the young are able to fly by the middle of that month. Insects and 

 spiders constitute its food." He continues thus : " In the Pyrenees, with excellent 

 opportunities for observing the habits of both species, I noticed that the Fire-crest 

 was much more restless and erratic in its movements, darting away suddenly after 

 a very short stay upon the gorse-bush or tree where it was feeding, and being 

 often alone or in parties of two or three at most ; whereas the Gold-crests, five or 

 six together, would work steadily round the same bush, and, if I remained quiet, 

 would stop there for many minutes." 



Hewitson in the third edition of his "Eggs of British Birds" states that the 

 " Rev. E. H. Browne has watched this species during the summer, near his 

 residence, at Bio' Norton, in Norfolk, and has no doubt it breeds there." The 

 probability is that he was merely misled by brightly coloured examples of the 

 Gold-crest, not being aware of the true distinctive characters of the two species : 

 at any rate his supposition has not been confirmed. 



