118 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



that he has seen it placed against the trunk of a 

 tree upon the base of a diverging branch. It is 

 made of moss, wool, grass and leaves, and is lined 

 with feathers. 



The food of the Golden Crested Wren consists of 

 insects and their larvae, also a few seeds and small 

 berries. It seeks its food much after the manner of 

 the Tits, climbing briskly up and down all the small 

 twigs, and diligently peering into every little crevice 

 and bud capable of containing food. It is particu- 

 larly partial to the fir tree, when employed in 

 seeking its food; but this tree is by no means 

 essential to its existence. 



The Golden Crested Wren has the beak black; 

 irides hazel ; on the crown of the head of the male 

 there is a crest of brilliant orange -yellow, sur- 

 rounded by equally brilliant but lighter yellow ; this 

 is surrounded with black ; nape of the neck, back, 

 scapulars and tail-coverts olive-green; the greater 

 and lesser wing-coverts are dusky, tipped with dirty 

 white, making two lines of that colour on the wings ; 

 all the quills dusky, slightly edged with olive-green, 

 the edging broader on the tertials ; the base of some 

 of the secondaries and tertials is black ; there is also 

 a slight spot of dirty white on the tips ; cheeks and 

 sides of the throat dull olive- green ; all the under 

 parts dirty white, tinged with olive-green ; legs, toes 

 and claws brown. The female has none of the 

 orange-yellow in the crest, the whole being a bril- 



