66 THE GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 



doubt, there are abundance in the tall trees of 

 our woods. Screened from observation by the 

 thick foliage, we perceive them not ; but as soon 

 as the leaves fall, they are found in tolerable 

 numbers, and are seen flying about, in small 

 troops of from ten to twelve, in company with 

 tit-mice and other little birds. This bird re- 

 mains with us all the winter, and is a constant 

 resident, even so far north as the Orkney Islands. 

 It seems able to bear great extremes of tempera- 

 ture, as it is found all over Europe, and has also 

 been met with in Asia and America. It feeds 

 chiefly on small insects, in search of which it 

 glides about with great swiftness, climbing ra- 

 pidly from branch to branch, and holding itself 

 with perfect ease in every position. Often you 

 may see it, head downwards, suspended by its 

 feet from the bough of a tree. It frequents 

 oaks, elms, pines, firs, and willows. Its nest is 

 principally composed of moss, and lined with the 

 softest down ; and it is curiously suspended from 

 the branch of a tree, by means of a sort of cordage, 

 formed of the same materials as the nest. There it 

 hangs, a soft cradle for its young ones, rocked by 

 the wind as it passes through the branches. In 

 this nest there are six or eight little eggs, not 

 larger than a pea. While the lady-wren sits on 

 them, her mate, as is the case with so many other 



