GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 85 
from Europe, in Mr. Peale’s collection, appears to be in nothing 
specifically different from the American; and the very accurate 
description given of this bird, by the Count de Buffon, agrees in every 
respect with ours. Here, as in Europe, it is a bird’ of passage, 
making its first appearance in Pennsylvania early in April, among 
the blossoms of the maple, often accompanied by the Ruby-crowned 
Wren, which, except in the markings"of the head, it very much re- 
“sembles. It is very frequent among evergreens, such as the pine, 
spruce, cedar, juniper, &c., and in the fall is generally found in com- 
pany with the two species of Titmouse, Brown Creeper, and small 
Spotted Woodpecker. It is an active, unsuspicious, and diligent 
little creature, climbing and hanging, occasionally, among the 
branches, and sometimes even on the body of the tree, in search of 
the larve of insects attached to the leaves and’ stems, and various 
occurring on the coast of Northumberland in 1822, when the sandhills and links were 
perfectly covered with them. 
“On the 24th and 25th of October, 1822, after a very severe gale, with thick fog, 
from the north-east, (but veering, towards its conclusion, to the east and south of 
east,) thousands of these birds were seen to arrive upon thé sea-shore and sand- 
banks of the Northumbrian coast; many of them so fatigued by the length of their 
flight, or perhaps by the unfavorable shift of wind,‘as’ to be unable to rise again 
from the ground, and great numbers were in consequence caught or destroyed. 
This flight must have been immense in quantity, as its extent was traced through 
the whole length of the coasts of Northumberland and Durham. There appears 
little doubt of this having been a migration from the more northern provinces of 
Europe, (probably famibhed by the pine forests of Norway, Sweden, é&c.,) from the 
. cireumstance of its arrival being simultaneous with that of large flights of the 
Woodcock, Fieldfare, and Redwing. Although I had never before witnessed the 
actual arrival of the Gold-crested Regulus, I had long felt convinced, from the great 
and sudden increase of the species during the autumnal and hyemal months, that 
our indigenous birds must be augmented by a body of strangers, making these shores 
their winter's resort. ‘ 
“A more extraordinary circumstance in the economy of this bird took place 
during the same winter, (Memoirs of Wernerian Society, vol. v..p. 397,) viz., the 
total disappearance of the whole tribe, natives as well as strangers, throughout 
Scotland and the north of England. . This happened towards the conclusion of the 
month of January, 1823, and a few days previous to the long-continued snow-storm , 
so severely felt through the nortigm counties of England, and along the eastern 
parts of Scotland. The range point of this migration are unascertained, but it 
must probably have been a distant one, from the fact of not a single pair having 
returned to breed, or pass the succeeding summer, in the situations. they had been 
known always to frequent. Nor was one of the species to be seen till the following 
October, or about the usual time, as I have above stated, for our receiving an an- 
nual accession of strangers to our own indigenous birds.” 
They are chiefly, if not entirely, insectivorous, and very nimble and agile in search 
after their prey. They build their nests with great art, — that of this country has it 
usually suspended near the extremity of a branch, and the outside beautifully cov- 
ered with different mosses, generally similar to those growing upon: the tree on 
which they build. In colors and the distribution of them, they closely agree, and 
all possess the beautiful golden crown, the well-known and admired mark of their 
common name. Our own island possesses only one, and though strong hopes have 
lately been raised of finding the second European species, R. ignicapillus, our en- 
deavors have hitherto been unsuccessful. But I do not yet despair ; they are so 
closely allied that a very near inspection is necessary to determine the individuals. 
Mr. Audubon has described and figured a bird under the name of R. Cuvierii 
which may prove an addition to this genus. Only a single specimen was procured 
in Pennsylvania, and the species will rest on Mr. Audubon’s plate alone, until some 
others are obtained. The centre of the crest is described and represented of a rich 
vermilion. — Ep. ; 
