GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 



127 



is feeble, not much louder than that of a mouse; tho where it breeds 

 the male is said to have a variety of sprightly notes. It builds its 

 nest frequently on the branches of an evergreen, covers it entirely 

 round, leaving a small hole on one side for entrance, forming it 

 outwardly of moss and lichens, and lining it warmly with down. 

 The female lays six or eight eggs, pure white, with a few minute 

 specks of dull red. Dr. Latham, on whose authority this is given, 

 observes, " it seems to frequent the oak trees in preference to all 

 others. I have more than once seen a brood of these in a large 

 oak in the middle of a lawn, the whole little family of which, as 

 soon as able, were in perpetual motion, and gave great pleasure to 

 many who viewed them. The nest of one of these has also been 

 made in a garden on a fir tree ; it was composed of moss, the open- 

 ing on one side, in shape roundish ; it was lined with a downy sub- 

 stance, fixed with small filaments. It is said to sing very melo- 

 diously, very like the Common Wren, but weaker.''^ In Penn- 

 sylvania they continue witli us from October to December, and 

 sometimes to January. 



The Golden-crested Wren is four inches long, and six inches 

 and a half in extent; back a fine yellow olive; hind head and sides 

 of the neck inclining to ash; a line of white passes round the front- 

 let extending over and beyond the eye on each side; above this 

 another line or strip of deep black passes in the same manner, ex- 

 tending 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 color, 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 



* Synopsis II, 509. 



