50 Order I 



marked with black and white, the crest pronounced and 

 erectile. In habits it is not unlike other Tits, but its 

 note is rather loud and very characteristic. It inhabits 

 Scotch fir woods, but does not invariably bore its nesting- 

 holes hi dead pines, as it occasionally chooses hard- 

 wood trees, or even ready-made holes in wooden or iron 

 posts. The eggs are seldom more than six or seven and 

 are particularly brightly marked. 



Family REGULIDJE, or Gold-crests 



A very familiar bird is that smallest of British 

 species the Gold-crested Wren (Eegulus regulus), which 

 ranges over Britain, as well as Europe, to the Caucasus 

 and Asia Minor, within the limits of tree-growth 

 except Spain and Portugal. The continental form is 

 hardly, if at all, distinguishable from that which 

 occurs in this country, while it is one of the curious 

 facts of nature that this delicate looking little creature 

 migrates to and fro in immense flocks in autumn 

 and spring, often for weeks together. We are never 

 without the bird, which is often found in company 

 with Tits. Its call-note is somewhat similar, but it has 

 also a low song. It is fond of searching for its insect- 

 food on fir trees, especially spruces, and on the latter it 

 usually builds its beautiful little mossy nest lined with 

 feathers, which is slung like a hammock under the tip 

 of a bough and contains from five to ten white eggs 

 ringed or covered with reddish buff markings. Alterna- 

 tive sites are the ivy on tree-trunks or small bushy 

 conifers. 



Constantly confounded with our common species is 

 that rare immigrant the Fire-crested Wren (R. ignicapil- 

 lus), which is also an olive-green bird with an orange 



