22 THE BIEDS OF DEYOX. 



This, the tiniest of our English birds, chiefly affects plantations of ever- 

 greens, especially firs and larches, among the foliage of which are to be 

 found the minute insects that form its food. It is wonderful what 

 myriads of small beetles and spiders and larvae of lepidopterous insects 

 harbour in fir-woods, as any one can prove who will simply open an 

 umbrella, and inverting it, shake or beat one of the lowest branches over 

 it, and will then note the minute creatures that will be seen swarming in 

 the receptacle thus prepared for them. The Goldcrest is also often seen 

 in orchards and gardens, wlicre it searches the shrubberies like the Willow- 

 Wren and C'hiffchaff, carefully examining each leaf and twig, and will be 

 then seen in company with Tree-creepers, Long-tailed Tits, and other 

 members of the Titmouse family. A nest in our garden, which was 

 placed in a spruce-fir adjoining a hollow sycamore, tenanted b)' a pair of 

 Green "Woodpeckers, was entirely lined, and parth' constructed, of the 

 small green feathers of these birds. 



A jiair of Goldcrests, of a cream-colour with the usual yellow crown, 

 was in the collection of Mr. Luscombe, of Kingsbridge. A white speci- 

 men has been shot in Devon (J. C. B., X. Hist. S, D. p. 206). 



Pire-Crest, Hcrjidus ignicainlJus (Temm.). 



A casual visitor of very rare occurrence. 



One example is recorded as having been taken in Devonshire (A. N., 

 ' Yarrell's 1j. Birds,' 4th cd. i. p. 457). This is probably the specimen 

 mentioned by Dr. E. ^loore as "at Pincombe's" (Bowe's Peramb. Dart- 

 moor, p. 233). Two specimens of this bird are in the collection of Mr. Pin- 

 combe, said to have been obtained in a garden at Devonport (J. B. B., 

 TraTis. Plym. Inst. 1862-63). " A pair in my late father's collection shot 

 near Plymouth. Mr. H. jS'ichoUs has a pair obtained at the same time 

 from Pincombc, of Plymouth" (E. A. S. E., MS. Xotes). ^'one of these 

 occurrences are satisfactorily authenticated. All the s])ecimens seem to 

 have come from a well-kTiown dealer in rare birds. A female occurred at 

 Torquay March 6th, 1873 (J. H. G., Jnr., Zool. 1873, p. 34UiJ : A. von H., 

 Zool. Ib74, p. 3'J07). According to Mr. F. Pershouse, Jnr., two specimens 

 have been obtained at Torquay. One was picked up dead at Torre in 1874 

 (E. P., Trans. Devon. Assoc, viii. p. 266). A specimen in the collection 

 of the late Mr. C'ecil Smith is said to have been obtained at Torquay. 



It is said to have occurred ou Lundy Island (J. B. C., Trans. Devon. 

 Assoc, iv. p. 605). 



AVe were informed by the late Mr. Yingoe, of Penzance, that anyone 

 searching for the Fire-crest in that neighbourhood is almost sure to meet 

 with it throughout the late winter months in places where ivy abounds, in 

 tlie shelter of which it will be seen hunting for its insect food. "We never 

 detected the Fire-crest in jS'orth Devon. Our friend Mr. J. Gatcombe 

 looked upon several of the reported occurrences in South Devon as very 

 doubtful, but there can be no question as to the genuineness of the ex- 

 ample seen by Mr. J. H. Gurney in Mr. Shopland's possession at Torquay, 



