Select first span
<html> <head> <style> .test{ border: 1px solid red; } </style> <script type="text/javascript" src="js/jquery-1.3.2.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> $(document).ready(function(){ $("span:first").text($(":hidden", document.body).length + " hidden elements."); }); </script> </head> <body> <span></span> <div></div> <div style="display:none;">Hider!</div> <div></div> <div></div> <form> <input type="hidden" /> <input type="hidden" /> <input type="hidden" /> </form> <span></span> </body> </html>