GOLD-CROWNED KINGLET. 409 



especially being very elongated, and when raised presenting 

 the appearance of a downy puff. Those on the top of the head 

 are also elongated, silky, and shining. The parts about the 

 base of the bill are covered with bristle-pointed feathers, and, 

 as in the other species, a single oblong feather, with discrete 

 filaments, lies over each nostril. The wings are of moderate 

 length, and rounded ; the first quill being about a third of the 

 length of the second, which is considerably shorter than the 

 third, the fourth longest. The tail is also of ordinary length, 

 narrow, arched at the base, and slightly emarginate ; the fea- 

 thers rounded, with a minute tip. 



The bill is blackish-brown, the mouth dusky orange. The 

 iris dark brown. The feet dull yellowish-brown. The general 

 colour of the upper parts is light yellowish-brown, of the lower 

 pale brownish-grey. The sides of the head are yellowish-grey, 

 without any streaks. On each side of the crown is a longitu- 

 dinal black band, of which the inner feathers have their in- 

 ternal webs lemon-yellow ; between these bands the feathers 

 are of a beautiful reddish-orange tint, with silky lustre. The 

 quills and tail-feathers are dusky, margined with yellowish- 

 green ; the base of six of the outer secondaries and inner pri- 

 maries black, and the tips of the secondary coverts white, as 

 are those of the first row of small coverts. 



Length to end of tail 3f inches ; extent of wings 6^ ; bill 

 along the ridge ^i? along the edge of lower mandible |^g ; wing 

 from flexure 2y| ; tail Ij^^ ; tarsus ^^ ; first toe /j, its claw 

 y| ; second toe -^^^ its claw \% ; third toe ^^g, its claw {^ ; 

 fourth toe 1*^, its claw \\. 



Female. — The colours of the female are precisely similar, 

 the only difference being in the crown, which is yellow in the 

 centre, without any orange. 



Length to end of tail 8^ inches ; extent of wings 6 ; bill 

 along the ridge l\ ; tarsus /^ ; middle toe \. 



Variations. — I have not observed any remarkable deviations 

 from the ordinary appearance. M. Temminck however states 

 that " accidental varieties have the top of the head azure blue ; 



