BRITISH BIRDS. 
22 5 
der parts are of a pale reddifii white, tinged with 
green on the fides ; the greater coverts of the wings 
are of a dufky brown, edged with yellow, and tip- 
ped with white ; quills dulky, edged with pale 
green, as are alfo the feathers of the tail, but light- 
er ; the legs are of a yellowifh brown. The fe- 
male is diflinguifhed by a pale yellow crown ; the 
whole plumage is lefs vivid than that of the male. 
This curious little bird delights in the largeft 
trees, fuch as oaks, elms, tall pines, and firs, par- 
ticularly the firft, in which it finds both food and 
fhelter ; in thefe it builds its neft, which is of a 
round form, having an aperture on one fide, and 
is compofed chiefly of mofs, lined with the foft- 
efl down, mixed with flender filaments ; the fe- 
male lays fix or feven eggs, fcarcely larger than 
peas, which are white, fprinkled with very fmall 
fpots of a dull colour. Thefe birds are very a- 
gile, and are almofl: continually in motion, flutter- 
ing from branch to branch, creeping on all fides of 
the trees, clinging to them in every fituation, and 
often hanging like the Titmoufe : Their food con- 
fifts chiefly of the fmalleft infedls, which they find 
in the crevices of the bark of trees, or catch nim- 
bly on the wing ; they alfo eat the eggs of infedts, 
fmall worms, and various forts of feeds. The 
Golden-crefied Wren is diffufed throughout Eu- 
rope ; it has alfo been met with in various parts of 
Afia and America, and feems to bear every change 
