154 
GOLD-CRESTS. 
is remarkable for its tiny size, its active and 
hardy manners, and the peculiarity of the cover- 
ing of the nostrils. The common, and until these 
few years the only known British species, is by no 
means unfrequent, remaining with us during the 
whole season. All the known species are very 
closely allied in colouring, and are distinguished 
by the beautiful orange crest with which the head 
is adorned, and which they display and erect on 
irritation or pleasure. In addition to the com- 
mon bird, R. ignicapillus, or Fire-Crowned Gold- 
crest, has been several times captured in our 
island ; and by the attention of Mr Hancock of 
Newcastle, we are enabled to give the descrip- 
tion of a bird taken in Northumberland, which 
agrees with the figure of Mr Gould’s R. modestus. 
From the very small and apparently tender frame 
of these little birds, we become astonished that 
they are able to perform any lengthened migra- 
tion ; but on the coast, particularly on the eastern 
side of the island, they may be seen to arrive in 
troops about the same period with our other win- 
ter visitants, many of them in a state of great 
exhaustion. An account of a very remarkable 
flight is given by Mr Selby ;* and we have yearly 
notices, from some district on the east coast, of 
large flights appearing at the accustomed season. 
On the opposite side of the island we are not 
aware that their arrival has been observed on the 
shore; but there can be no doubt, that, at the 
same period, a large accession is received in the 
* Brit. Orn. i. p. 230. 
