GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 
183 
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, <c it seems, to prefer 
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 opening on one side, in 
shape roundish ; it was lined with a downy substance, 
mixed with small filaments. It is said to sing very 
melodiously, very like the common wren, but weaker.” * 
In Pennsylvania, they continue with 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 frontlet, extending over and 
beyond the eye on each side ; 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, imme- 
diately below which, a spot of black extends over 
* Synopsis , ii, 509. 
