GOLD-CRESTED REGULUS. 197 



The occurrence of this bird crossing the Mediterranean at the 

 migratory period in spring, will be found noticed under the 

 willow wren. 



GOLD-CRESTED REGULUS. 

 Gold-crested Wren. 



Regulus cristatus, Will. ; Ray. 

 Motacilla regidus, Linn. 

 Sylvia, „ Lath. 



This very small and beautiful bird is common, and resi- 

 dent in plantations throughout Ireland. 



In the north its song is occasionally commenced early in the 

 month of February,* and has been heard at the end of September. 

 On one occasion, when a friend was attending to the process of 

 nidification adopted by a chaffinch which built within view of his 

 window at Cromac, it was discovered that he was not the only 

 spectator, a regulus at some little distance being also recognised 

 as a looker-on, and, as afterwards proved, with sinister intent. 

 When the chaffinch took flight from the nest, this bird, in the 

 most cunning manner, stole round in an opposite direction 

 and carried off part of the materials. Such was its common 

 practice, as observed in at least a dozen instances; but the 

 chaffinch eventually discovering the regulus in the act, gave it 

 a severe chase through the plantation, and its mal-practices were 

 never afterwards known to be repeated. More than this isolated 

 instance of theft can be brought against the "gold-crest;" for 

 another friend remarks, from personal observation, that " the nest 

 is open at the top and like a chaffinch's, from whose nest it steals 

 the materials for its own." Notes are before me of three nests, 

 observed in the same summer. One was placed in a cypress ; 

 another was neatly fixed to the branch of a silver-fir whose spin- 

 ous leaves shaded the little opening of one inch diameter ; it was 



* Mr. S. Poole has heard it in the county of Wexford on the 3rd of January. 



