458 



busied in looking for insects, others bathing in the rain water which had collected on the broad 

 leaves. I walked through the plot, and with a butterfly-net caught ten or twelve specimens. 

 .Some of these lived in confinement for a fortnight, and were supplied regularly with insects." 



Mr. Cordeaux says that they appear on the east coast of England about the second or third 

 week in October, preceding the Woodcocks by a few days, and have hence earned for themselves 

 the soubriquet of the ' Woodcock Pilots.' 



Exceedingly restless and active, the Golden-crested Wren is always in motion, fluttering 

 from branch to branch, climbing about like a Coal Titmouse, every now and then emitting a 

 shrill feeble note, aptly compared by Macgillivray to the cry of a Shrewmouse. It is not shy, 

 but is not easy to discover amongst the dense foliage of the fir trees which it inhabits, and 

 appears to pay but little attention to an intruder. In the winter season small or large flocks 

 wander about in the woods and groves in search of food in company of Titmice and Creepers, 

 with whicli they live in perfect amity. It places its nest in a similar position to that of the 

 Fire-crested Wren ; and indeed their nests are precisely alike both in form and mode of structure 

 as well as materials ; but the present species appears to make use of other trees besides the fir, as 

 I have frequently found it breeding in yew trees. Its eggs, of which I have a large series from 

 various parts of England and Germany, are, when blown, easily distinguishable from those of 

 Megulus ignicapillus, being white, shaded with dull ochre-brown, not with pale reddish as are 

 the latter ; but when fresh the yelk showing through the thin shell gives them a faint reddish 

 tinge. One clutch I took at Altenkirchen on the 14th of May this year (1874) are almost pure 

 white, having round the larger end a wreath of dull ochre-brown spots so small and close 

 together that they form a mere shading of that colour. In size my eggs of this species average 

 about f £ by \^ inch, and are oval in shape, tapering slightly towards one end. 



The food of the present species consists entirely of small insects ; and the stomachs of 

 several specimens I shot were filled entirely with minute flies. 



The specimens figured are those described, and are in my own collection, except the young 

 bird, which belongs to Messrs. Salvin and Godman. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens: — 



E Mus. II. E. Dresser. 



t/,b,rf. Surrey, November 1865. c. Hampstead, September 1870 {Davy), d, 2 • Hampstead, January 21st, 

 1871 (Davy), e. Farnborcmgli, Kent, 1854 (H. E. D.). f,d,g,2. Piedmont, November 1809 (Salvadori). 

 h, t ?. Shanghai, October 19th, 1868 (R. Swinhoe). 



E Mus. Salvin and Godman. 



a, 2- Middlesex, 1856 (0. Salvin). b, 2. Surrey, January 1857 (F. Godman). c,6- Norway, March 20th, 

 1859 (F. Godman). d. St. Michaels, Azores, March 1865 (F. Godman). e, <$ . Azores, 1865 {F. Godman). 

 f, 2. Azores, April 1865 (F. Godman). g, 2, hjuv. Teneriffe, May 23rd, 1871 (F. Godman). 



E Mus. Brit. Reg. 



a, b. Avington, Hants (Shelley), c, d, d, ?. Hakodadi, Japan, e. Nepal (B. H. Hodgson). 



