58 GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 
From about 67° N. lat., the limit of the fir-woods in Scandinavia, 
and from Archangel and the Ural Mountains in Russia, the Golden- 
crest is generally distributed over Europe down to the Mediterranean 
and Black Seas ; it is also a regular migrant to Malta in spring and 
autumn, on its way to and from North Africa. Eastward, it stretches 
across Asia to the Amur; examples from Asia Minor, Turkestan 
and the Himalayas being intermediate between our form and 
R. cristatus var. japonicus, with a greyish-brown nape, resident in 
Japan. At the other extremity of its range, a local race named by 
Seebohm A. cristatus var. azoricus, distinguished by its much larger 
bill, stouter legs, and longer tail, is found in the Azores; but the 
Canaries appear to be frequented by the typical form. 
The beautiful nest of the Golden-crested Wren is generally placed 
beneath the extremity of a branch of a fir, yew, cedar, or other 
evergreen; the almost spherical structure being upheld by the 
lateral twigs. Occasionally it has been found upon the upper sur- 
face of a branch, or against ivy-covered trees, and even in a low 
bush. Built of the softest moss, felted with spiders’ webs, wool, 
and a few lichens, and having a lining of small feathers, it is 
frequently ready for eggs by the latter part of March. These, 5-8 
and even ro in number, are buff-white, minutely freckled, especially 
at the larger end, with reddish-brown : measurements ‘52 by ‘4 in. 
The female sits very close. The sweet, but rather weak song of the 
male, uttered almost incessantly in fine weather, is often commenced 
in February ; the call-note is a rather shrill sz-sz-sz. Insects seem to 
form the chief food of this sociable little bird, which may often be 
seen in winter searching for the means of subsistence in the woods 
and groves, together with Tits and Tree-Creepers. 
Adult male : forehead to above the eye, greyish-white, surmounted 
by a dark brown frontal streak, deepening into a black line below 
each side of the crest, which is bright yellow in front and rich 
orange further back; neck and back yellowish olive-green ; tail- 
feathers ash-brown, with yellowish margins ; wings ash-brown, with 
white spot-like tips to the secondaries, and a black bar across the 
upper part, contrasting with the white margins of the median and 
greater wing-coverts ; under parts greenish-buff, whiter on the belly ; 
bill very dark brown ; legs and feet brown: irides hazel. Length 
3°6 in. ; wing to the tip of the 5th and longest primary 2°1 in. The 
female is duller than the male, with narrower black streaks below 
the crest, which is only lemon-yellow. The young bird has no 
crest, but the crown is rather darker in colour than the back. 
