406 REGULUS. KINGLET. 



edged. Toes rather large ; the first more robust, and almost 

 equal in length to the third ; the second and fourth nearly 

 equal, and united to the third by a membrane as far as the 

 second joint. Claws long, arched, extremely compressed, late- 

 rally grooved, acute ; that of the hind toe proportionally very 

 large. 



The plumage is extremely soft and downy ; the feathers 

 being broad, entirely downy, with a long very slender plumule 

 of three filaments, the central much larger. Those about the 

 base of the bill are bristle-pointed. The wings are of ordinary 

 length, broad, and rounded, with eighteen quills ; the first not 

 half the length of the second, which is considerably shorter 

 than the third, the fourth longest ; the secondaries rounded at 

 the end ; all much curved. Tail of moderate length, seeming 

 to come off abruptly from amidst the short downy coverts, 

 much curved at the base, slightly emarginate, of twelve fea- 

 thers, which are narrow and rounded w^ith a minute tip. 



The Kinglets are the smallest birds of the family of Syl- 

 vianae. They inhabit the woods and thickets of the colder and 

 temperate regions of both continents, moving about with great 

 agility among the twigs, in search of insects, on which alone 

 they feed. In this occupation they mingle with various spe- 

 cies of the genus Parus, and are often accompanied by Certhise 

 and other small birds. Their characteristic habits will be found 

 exemplified by those of the species R. auricapillus, common in 

 Britain ; besides which a few individuals of another, E,. igni- 

 capillus, have been met with in England. 



Having already imposed upon myself the rule laid down by 

 the venerable legislators of the last century, and adopted by 

 some of those of the present, that generic names shall not be 

 those of men, women, or children, crafts, offices, or professions, 

 it may seem inconsistent in me to name little birds having a 

 red or yellow tuft of feathers on their head, little Kings, King- 

 lets, or Reguli, which signifies the same thing ; but the dimi- 

 nutive termination in some measure does away with the im- 

 propriety of the appellation, especially as we have no order of 

 men now known by the name of Reguli. The ancient name 

 of one of these birds, T^o%/>.c»j, Trochilus, aviculse nomen, a 



