CHAPTER XII. 



THE GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 



We have here the Golden-crested Wren — the Reguhis cristatus 

 of naturalists — the tiniest of our British birds, "the pleasing 

 fairy-bird," as Bewick calls it, one of the large family of war- 

 blers, and a near relation to Jenny Wren. It is a very charming 

 little bird, with a sweet melodious song of its own, and so many 

 curious little ways that it is well worth everybody's notice and 

 everybody's love. 



It is very active and lively, always in motion, fluttering from 

 branch to branch, and running up and down the trunks and 

 limbs of trees, in search of insects on which it lives. It may as 

 often be seen on the under as on the upper side of a branch, 

 with its back downwards, like a fly on a ceiling, and so running 

 along, all alert, as merry and busy as possible. In size it is 

 about three inches,, that is with all its feathers on, but its little 

 body alone is not above an inch long ; yet in this' little body, 

 and in this little brain, lives an amazing amount of character, 

 as I shall show you, as well as a great deal of amusing conceit 

 and pertness which you would hardly believe unless you were 

 told. 



The colour of the bird is a sort of yellowish olive-green, the 

 under part of pale, reddish white, tinged with green on the 

 sides ; the quill feathers of the wing are dusky, edged with pale 



