The Goldcrest. 145 
The diminutive size of this beautiful bird is very 
striking, but its weight is still more so. The one I 
have before me now is an adult female, and weighs 
only seventy-nine grains ; so that, by this calculation, 
it would take six of these fairy-like winged things to 
make one ounce! /Although this is an old bird, and I 
consider it in condition, I should suppose some would 
weigh under and some over the number of grains 
stated here. Notwithstanding its appearance, strange 
it seems to us that a bird of this small size and weight 
should delight in the highest of our forest trees—espe- 
cially pines and firs—where it finds both food and 
shelter, and can manage with ease to keep its position, 
either on the wing or when perched, though the winter 
winds are blowing ever so furiously, and the trees rock- 
ing and bowing like reeds inastorm. The food of the 
Goldcrest consists of insects, which it captures both on 
the wing and on twigs. 
This bird is for ever in motion—pecking here and 
there throughout the day, and hanging in every position 
thought of under the branches of fir shack. 1 remem- 
ber one day in the winter seeing dozens of these birds 
10 
