THE GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 245 



however, compels me to state that, with all my disposition for 

 indulgence to birds, I found the house-sparrow a very troublesome 

 guest in the garden, and was obliged to prevent its becoming an 

 inhabitant of my house and offices, by giving it no opportunity or 

 place for building its nest. A rookery (see my poem, the Rook- 

 ery, in the Somerset dialect,) was also a short distance from it. 



This bird and the redbreast are supposed in Somersetshire 

 to be great destroyers of spiders : indeed, the following saying 

 i3 very common there : if it were not for the Robin- Riddick and the 

 Cutty-Wran, a spider would overcome a man. 



The Regulus, Golden-Wren, Golden-crested Wren, 

 Wood-Titmouse, or Tidley-Goldfinch, is generally considered the 

 smallest of British birds. The crown of the head is singularly 

 beautiful ; the crest is composed of a double series of feathers 

 arisingfrom each side,and almost meeting at their points; the exte- 

 rior are black; the interior bright yellow; between which on the 

 crow T n, the feathers are shorter and of a fine deep orange ; the 

 hind head, neck, and back, green; beneath, brownish white, on 

 the belly tinged with yellow. Nest similar to that of the 

 chaffinch, but lined with feathers ; sometimes placed against a 

 tree covered with ivy, but most commonly beneath the thick 

 branch of a fir. Eggs from seven to ten, brownish white. This 

 bird braves our severest winters, and is by no means so scarce 

 as it appears, but from its smallness is seldom noticed. Pennant 

 says it is found principally on oak trees. 



" Aloft in mazy course the Golden- Wren 

 Sports on the boughs; she who her slender form 

 Vaunting, and radiant crest, half dares to vie 

 With those gay wanderers,* whose effulgent wings 

 With insect hum still flutter o'er the pride 

 Of Indian gardens." 



Gisborne's Walks in a Forest — Autumn. 



Humming Birds. See note (3), Part IL 



