GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 



131 



above this, another line or strip of deep black passes in the 

 same manner, extending farther behind ; between these two 

 strips of black lies a bed of glossy golden yellow, which, being 

 parted a little, exposes another of a bright flame colour, 

 extending over the whole upper part of the head ; when the 

 little warbler flits among the branches in pursuit of insects, 

 he opens and shuts this golden ornament with great adroitness, 

 which produces a striking and elegant effect ; lores, marked 

 with circular points of black ; below the eye is a rounding 

 spot of dull white ; from the upper mandible to the bottom of 

 the ear-feathers runs a line of black, accompanied by another 

 of white, from the lower mandible ; breast, light cream colour ; 

 sides under the wings, and vent, the same ; wings, dusky, edged 

 exteriorly with yellow olive ; greater wing-coverts, tipt with 

 white, immediately below which a spot of black extends over 

 several of the secondaries ; tail, pretty long, forked, dusky, 

 exterior vanes broadly edged with yellow olive ; legs, brown, 

 feet and claws, yellow ; bill, black, slender, straight, evidently 

 of the Muscicapa form, the upper mandible being notched at 

 the point, and furnished at the base with bristles, that reach 

 half way to its point ; but what seems singular and peculiar 

 to this little bird, the nostril on each side is covered by a 

 single feather, that much resembles the antennas of some 

 butterflies, and is half the length of the bill. Buffon has 

 taken notice of the same in the European. Inside of the 

 mouth, a reddish orange ; claws, extremely sharp, the hind 

 one the longest. In the female, the tints and markings are 

 nearly the same, only the crown or crest is pale yellow. These 

 birds are numerous in Pennsylvania in the month of October, 

 frequenting bushes that overhang streams of water, alders, 

 briers, and particularly apple trees, where they are eminently 

 useful in destroying great numbers of insects, and are at that 

 season extremely fat. 



