104 THE SMALLER BRITISH HIItDS. 



THE GOLDCKEST, 



(Rtgnlus cris/a/us.) 



PLATE VIII. PIQDRE VI. 



THE little crosfed or crowned king is the moaning of tlie specific 

 name of this, the smallest of our British birds. He has been sometimes 

 called the English Humming Bird, a title most appropriate, both on 

 account of his tiny and delicate form and exquisite plumage. Although 

 plentiful in almost all parts of the British Isles, the Golden-Crested 

 Wren, as he is frequently named, often escapes observation in conse- 

 quence of his small size; his favourite haunts are fir woods or plantations, 

 but he may be also met with among oaks, birches, and other trees. 

 He is extremely active, and may bo seen hopping and running about 

 among the branches with wonderful rapidity, or clinging by means of 

 his long sharp claws in all kinds of queer positions, sometimes even 

 hanging head downwards; in fact he is a very acrobat among birds, 

 and his performance forms one of the prettiest and most amusing sights 

 the rural rambler can behold. Where one of these little creatures is 

 seen many others are sure to be found, as they keep in large flocks 

 even during the breeding season. Like children they would be miserable 

 without companions, and they seem to spend their lives in a perpetual 

 game of hide and seek amongst the branches, exhibiting just the same 

 spirit of fun and merriment that we see in the lively romps of our 

 own dear little ones. There is no difficulty in watching the funny 

 antics of the tiny Goldcrcsts, as they are by no means shy or timid, 

 and will allow an observer to approach quite close without attempting 

 to fly away or hide themselves; even when a shot is fired amongst 

 them, those that are uninjured exhibit but little alarm. They appear 

 to live together in the most perfect amity, never interfering or quar- 

 reling with each other, except at the commencement of the breeding 

 season, when, sad to say, terrible battles sometimes take place between 

 the males. An account of one of these fights is thus given in the 

 pages of "The Naturalist:" "In the garden of F. Barlow, Esq., of 

 Cambridge, in 1849, two Golden-crested Wrens were engaged in direful 

 contest; a female sitting on a tree near them. They fell to the ground 

 fighting, heedless of the gardener standing close to them, who placed 



