BIRDS OF NEW YORK 51 1 



indicated in the female. Under parts dull whitish tinged on the sides 

 with buffy. 



Length 4.1-4.5 inches; extent 7-7.35; wing 2.25; tail 1.75; bill .29; 

 tarsus .67. 



It is well for the amateur to distinguish this Kinglet from the Golden- 

 crowned species, not by trying to contrast the golden with the ruby center 

 of the crown, but by the conspicuous black edges of the crown in the 

 Golden-crested species, whereas the Ruby crown has no black about the 

 head. It is well to note also the greater length of the present species and 

 the dull whitish eye ring. 



Distribution. The Ruby-crowned kinglet breeds from northwestern 

 Alaska, Mackenzie, central Keewatin, and central Ungava, southward in 

 the mountains to southern California, southern Arizona, central New 

 Mexico and to northern Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and northern 

 Maine. It winters from southern British Columbia, Iowa and Virginia 

 southward to Guatemala. In New York this is a migratory species, appear- 

 ing in the spring from the 4th to the 23d of April according to the season 

 and latitude, and passing northward from the 8th to the 17th of May. 

 In the fall it reappears between the 20th and the 30th of September, passes 

 southward between the 20th of October and the nth of November. Some 

 records of winter birds have recently occurred in " Bird Lore " in the 

 Christmas census from Long Island, and a record of what was supposed 

 to be a nest of this species containing young was reported by Ernest 

 Ingersoll (N. O. C. Bui. 1:116). Near Skylight camp, Mt Marcy, the 

 author saw, on July 19, 1905, what he felt sure was a kinglet of this species, 

 evidently carrying food to its young, but as he had no means of securing 

 the specimen or of definitely verifying the observation, the Ruby-crowned 

 kinglet still remains without definite breeding record for this State. It is 

 probable, however, that it will be found to nest occasionally in the cooler 

 and damper portions of the higher Adirondacks. 



Haunts and habits. The Ruby-crown, like the Gold-crest, is found 

 throughout our woods, groves, shade trees, and the shrubbery of our lawns 

 during the migration season, especially in the springtime, and many a morn- 

 ing in April I have been awakened by its ecstatic melody delivered from 



