THE RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. 503 



four-inch Sylvia? . I was obliged to believe my own eyes, 

 for I saw the bird many times in the act of singing. The 

 melody was such as to mark the day on which I heard it. 



In size and color the species is in every way like the 

 former, except the clear ruby crown, often concealed by 

 the surrounding loose feathers, and sometimes — probably 

 in the case of birds less than two years old — not found 

 at all.* In habit it is regarded as more southern than its 

 near relative, for it winters even in Mexico and Central 

 America, and is supposed to breed as far south as Northern 

 New Jersey and Western New York. Indeed, it is claimed 

 that the young have been found in the nest in the latter 

 district; and there is good evidence that it breeds among 

 the most elevated forests throughout the Rocky Mountains, 

 as also northward through the Maritime Provinces and 

 Labrador. 



The nest and eggs of this species, however, are a great 

 rarity. The only clear account of them is furnished by W. 

 E. D. Scott, who found them at Twin Lakes, Col, June 

 21st, 1878, the nest being in a low branch of a pine tree. 

 "On the 25th," he writes, "I took this nest, containing five 

 fresh eggs. It was built at the very extremity of the limb, 

 and was partially pensile, though the bottom rested on some 

 of the leaves just below. Like most nests of this region, it 

 was composed in part of sage brush, but as only the smallest 

 twigs were used, the entire structure is exceedingly soft and 

 delicate. It is very bulky in proportion to the bird, and 

 very deep. Inside it is lined with fine grasses and a few 

 feathers. The dimensions, as follows, will give an idea of 

 the size external and internal: Outside — four inches deep, 

 three inches in diameter at top, and but little smaller at 

 bottom; inside — three inches deep, two inches in diameter 



* It may be that the female will yet be proven to be without the ruby crown. 



