BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 699 



Range. — Northoni Hemisphere, breedino- in nioi'c northern or higher 

 coniferous forests. (About fifteen species ami su})species.) 



In all features of external structure this genus comes so very close 

 to Regidoides"- that lean not understand why it should ever have been 

 placed among th(^ Paridii', as has been done l)}^ Mr. Seebohm, Dr. 

 Gadow, and others. Tlie surprising- feature of the case is that in 

 scarcely a single character does it agree with the diagnoses of the Paridai 

 (or Parina') of the authors who thus misplace it. For example, Mr. 

 Seebohm, in comparing'' his ''Hubfamil}' Parinas" (i.e. Paridte + Pan- 

 tirus 4- Regulus + Accenter + CerthiidsB + Sittidse + Troglodytidae!) 

 with the "Turdinro" (Turdidw) and "Sylviin:e" (Sylviidie) says: 

 "From both these subfamilies they are distinguished 1)3^ their conical 

 bills with no dental notch. From the former they are further distin- 

 guished by their scutellated tarsi, and from the latter by their single 

 moult."' Now, Regulus does not agree in an 3^ of these respects, except 

 possibly in the matter of molt, regarding which I possess no definite 

 information,'" having, as it does, a distinctly' notched bill and typically 

 "•booted" tarsi. 



The single feather covering the nostril in the t^^pical species of 

 Regulus has often been mentioned, and Gates'' attaches so much 

 importance to this feather that he raises the genus to family rank, 

 forgetting, or perhaps being unaware, as does Dr. Gadow* also, that 

 one species of Regulus (R. calendula) does not possess this feather; 

 that is to say, the latero-frontal bristly plunmles are equally developed 

 instead of a single one, on each side, being much larger than the rest. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OK REGULUS. 



ft. A wliitish siiperriliary stripe; pileum with a more or less distinct stripe of l)lac'k or 

 (hisky along each side. 

 h. Black crown-stripes broad, connected anteriorly, inclosing a patch of yellow, 

 yellow and orange, or red. (Adults. ) 

 c. Forehead and lores whitish confluent with a broad superciliary stripe of the 

 same color; no black postocular stripe; crown-patch not orange margined 

 with yellow in males, wholly yellow in females. {Regulus satrapa.) 

 <1. Coloration grayer above; wing and tail longer, bill stouter. ( Eastern North 



America. ) Regulus satrapa satrapa (p. 700) 



(/(/. Coloration more olivaceous above; wing and tail shorter, hill mure slender. 

 (Western North America, from Kadiak, Alaska, to Oaxaca. southern 

 Mexico.) Regulus satrapa olivaceus (p. 702) 



» See page 695, footnote. 



f> History of British Birds and their Eggs, i, 1883, 451. 



<'Though Gates, in J'.irds of British India (i, 3-44), mentions "the single moult." 



«' Birds of Britith India, i, 344. lie says: "These birds pos.sess a character which 

 suffices to separate them from all other Passeres, viz, a stiff, small, and perfect 

 feather over each nostril. This chara<!ter is sufficiently important, in my opinion, 

 to render it desirable to elevate the (Toldcrests to the rank of a family." * 



^Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., viii, 1883, 79. 



