REGULUS.
Small size; bill thin and slender; nostrils with an operculum and partly covered by a .single feather (one exception only, viz. " R. calendula"); frequent trees searching for insects ; cup nest suspended under branch of conifer; eggs ochreous white with very fine brown dots.
Regulus regulus regulus (L.). GOLDCREST. Fr. Roitelet ; Ger. Gelbkopfiges ; Ital. Regolo ; Swed. Kungsfogel.
Frontal feathers greyish buff, crown yellow, orange in centre, with black lateral stripes ; upper parts yellowish green, hind neck and mantle paler, more grey ; beneath greyish white tinged yellow. Bill black. Legs and feet brown. Wing d' 52-56, Tarsus Bill 7-8. 9 Crown yellow without orange. Young lack yellow on crown and black stripes.
.Breeds.—Continental Europe generally, north to limit of firs, east to Urals, south to Pyrenees on west and in east to Mediterranean, Asia Minor, and Caucasus. Migratory in north ; rare Spain, Portugal, and Malta ; occasional Egypt ; occurrence N.W. Africa doubtful.
R. regulus anglorum Hartert. Darker on back, more olive ; slightly darker beneath ; green on hind neck instead of grey. Wing 51-55, 9 49-53.
Resident.—British Isles.
R. regulus azoricus Seebohm. Bill about 2 m.m. longer ; above darker, more olive coloured.
Residen/.—Azores.
R. regulus interni Hartert. Sides of head and hind neck grey ; colour of upper parts duller. Resident.—Corsica and Sardinia.
R. regulus teneriffee Seebohm. Black stripes on crown broader and united across forehead ; colour above darker (as in "anglorum"). Size smaller. Wing 50-51 (H.).
Resident.—Western Canary Islands.
Regulus ignicapillus ignicapillus (Temminc.k). FIRE CREST. Fr. Roitelet triple bandeau ; Ger. Feuerkopfiges ; ited. Fiorrancino.
j Frontal feathers more orange buff than in " R. regulus" ; lateral stripes meet in a band across the forehead ; supercilium white ; crown fiery orange with narrow border of yellow ; sides of neck golden green. Bill black. Legs and feet brown. Wing d 52-54, ? 47-5o. Tarsus 17-18. Bill 7-8. ? Crown all yellow.
Breeds.—Continental Europe south of Baltic, south to Medi terannean ; Sicily, N.W. Africa and Asia Minor. Mostly resident. Rare in Poland ; occasional in winter Britain and IIolland ; accidental Denmark.
R. ignicapillus madeirensis Harcourt. Darker and greener above, frontal feathers whitish, crown yellow, no orange. Wing d (H.). Resident.—M adeira.
(" R. i. minor " Parrot from Corsica is not considered tenable.)