Reoulus. INSESSORES. REGULUS. 229 



GOLD-CRESTED REGULUS. 



Regulus auricapillus. 



PLATE XLVII. Fig. 4. 



Svlvia Regulus, Lath. Ind. Ornith. v. 2. p. 548. sp. 152. 



Motacilla llegulus, Linn. Syst. 1. p. .338. 48 — Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 995. 



Regulus cristatus, Rail Syn. p. 79. A. 9 — Will. p. 163. t. 42 — Brisi. 3. 



p. 579. 17. 

 Roitelet ordinaire, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. v. 1. p. 229. 

 Le Roitelet, Buff. Ois. v. 5. p. 363 — Id. PI. Enl. 651. 3. 

 Gregonter Sanger, Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. v. 1. p. 250. — Frisch. t. 24. f. 4- 

 Golden-crested Wren, Br. Zool. No. 153 — Arct. Zool. 2. No. 321 — Will. 



(Ang.) p. 227 Lath. Syn. 4. p. 508. 145 — Leivin's Br. Birds, 3. t. 112. 



—Mont. Ornith. Jiict.— Wale. Syn. 2. t. 243 — Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 9 — 



Bewick's Br. Birds, v. 1. p. 224 Edw. t. 254. 1 — Loxv's Fau. Oread. 



This, although the most diminutive of the British birds, 

 is yet of so hardy a constitution, as to brave the usual rigours 

 of our winter. It is equally dispersed through England and 

 Scotland, extending even to the Orkney Isles, where, ac- 

 cording to Low, it is also indigenous. Woods and planta- 

 tions are its habitual places of residence, but particularly 

 those abounding in spruce, larch, and other species of fir, 

 amongst which it not only finds a constant supply of the 

 insect-food most congenial to it, but situations best adapted 

 for concealment, and for its peculiar mode of nidification. 



It breeds amongst the earliest of our birds, and I have 

 known its nest to contain fledged young as early as in the 

 third week of April. 



The male generally commences his song of invitation about 

 the middle of February. This consists of two or three stridu- 

 lous, though not unpleasant notes, frequently repeated, and 

 ending rather abruptly. The common call-note of the spe- 

 cies is a very weak cry, similar to that of the Creeper (Certhia 

 familiaris). — The nest is of an elegant spherical structure, Nest, &c. 

 formed of moss and lichens, lined with a quantity of feathers, 



