74 lilBOB OK ILLINOIS. 



This species is one of fhe earliest to arrive in spring, making its 

 appearnnco at Ut. Cnrmel early in April, the 2n(l and lOlh of tbnt 

 month being the earliest and latest dates recorded by the writer. 

 In Cook county, Mr. Coale says that it is a "rather common 

 migrant," but that it was really common only in the spring of 1875, 

 when several were shot in Hyde Park. lie had not found it breed- 

 ing, however, though it was found doing so by Mr. G. F. Clingman 

 at Whiting Station, Indiana, near the Illinois hne. At St. Louis, 

 Mr. Coale found it very common and nesting on May 22, 1883. 



Subfamily REGULINiE.— The Kinglkts. 



Gencs REGULUS Cu\ter. 



lif cuius Cut. Lecjons d'Annt. Comp. 1799-18(10, tnbl. li. Type. Molacilla regulus Lnm. 



CoW?ii/;io Cab. Jour. Orn. i, 1853.8). Typo. ^fotacH^a calendula Linn. 



"Gen. Char. Bill slender, much shorter tlinn the head, depressed at base, bnt becom- 

 iiiK rapidly compressed; modoratoly notched at tip. Culmen straicht to near the tip, 

 then Kontly curved. Commissure straieht; Bonys convex. Rictus well provided with 

 bristles; nostrils covered by a sinclo bristly feather directed forwards (not distinct In 

 calendula). Tarsi elongated, excoedinc considerably the middle toe, and without seu- 

 tolla). Lateral toes about eiiual; hind toe with the claw, lonc^r than the middle one by 

 about halt the claw. Claws all much curved. First primary about one third as loncas 

 the longest; second niual to fifth or sixth. Tail shorter than the wings, moderately 

 forked.tho feathers acuminate. Colors olive-green above, whitish beneath. Size very 

 small." aiisl. K Am. B.) 



(Common Chakactebs. Above olive-greenish, brighter on rump and edges of second- 

 aries and roctrices; 80i!0ndarics with a broad black basal bar. Beneath dull whitish. 

 .Vn^p with a brightly colored crown-patch of red, orange, or yellow, with black stripes 

 In .some species, In which the female has a yellow crown-patch. Young land adult female 

 of 7i. calendula) without any markings or bright colors on head. 



a' Crown with a broad black stripe on each side. 



1. E, satrapa. Forehead smoky whitish; crown-patch bicolored In the male— Intense 



orange centrally, with a yellow border— uniform yellow In the female. 



2. K. ouvieri. Forehead and a stripe across lores and behind the eye, black; crown- 



patch uniform red in the male. 



a' Crown without black .stripes. , 



3. E. calendula. Crown with a central patch of vermllion-red in the aldult male, thi? 



usually al^scnt, or when pro-ent much reduced In size, in the female. 



The first and third species whose characters are given above are 

 very abundant birds in all parts of the State — the first throughout 

 the winter, the other chielly during the spring and fall miguations, 

 but wintering to some extent in the southern portions. The second 

 species {R. cuvicri) was discovered many years ago, on the banks of 



