ALLEN’S NATURALIST’S LIBRARY. 
158 
band of the crown, running parallel to the latter streak • ear- 
coverts bluish-grey on the upper margin, the rest of the sides of 
rea f ^ Ce * Sabe] * lne - bu , ff Ilke the thrrat a >id sides of body the 
ireast and centre of body ashy-whitish ; on each side of the 
ha2 a ToSl°l f ef 0 !h en ' ydlC r ^ biH and feet dark brown i iri s 
. 5 ?; Js«t o? 6,h ' 4 mches; "'"8. - ■: -H 
Fim ?l F r^~ A r S Wit , h th£ GoM ' Clest - the hen bird of the 
ire Crest differs from her mate by the less brilliant crown. 
h, n° te '7 Th ? kl re- Crest, as its name implies, has a more 
brilliantly-coloured crown than the Gold-Crest and is easilv 
distinguished by the golden-yellow patch on the side of the 
e eyebr0W ’ which is vcr >’ wel > marked in 
Range in Great Britain— A winter visitant, probably of more 
frequent occurrence than is generally supposed. Its capture 
has been recorded in nearly all the eastern and southern 
counties of England, but its occurrence in Scotland and Ire- 
land has not yet been established. The Fire-Crest is quite as 
migratory as the Gold Crest, and in Heligoland in 1876 there 
were even more killed of the former than of the latter during 
our visit, but it is certain that the Gold-Crest comes to England 
on migration in much larger numbers than its ally. 
Range outside the British Islands.— The Fire-Crest is a bird of 
much more restricted range than the Gold-Crest, and, although 
found in Western, as well as in Central and Southern Europe 
it does not extend to Scandinavia, nor does it occur north- 
east of the Baltic Provinces, though it is found in Southern 
Russia and Asia Minor also. 
Habits.— These are stated to be similar to those of the Gold 
Crest, though many writers consider it a more restless bird 
mm m 1 f s wa y s 11 has been compared to a Willow-Warbler’ 
Mr. Seebohm says that it affects the pine-trees more per- 
tinaciously than the Gold-Crest, and does not descend so much 
to the undergrowth. Its food consists, like that of the Gold- 
Crest, almost entirely of insects. 
Nest.— Like that of the last-named bird, and similarly slung 
under a bough. s ’ 
Eggg. — Form five to ten, sometimes even exceeding the 
