GIOLDEN-OROWNKD KINGLET. 067 



and space bcLiw the eyes, ashv white. Ear covert.-^, dusky. In autumn there is a greenish wash over the 

 breast and flanks. The upper portion of the body is also more olivaceous. Adult female, similar to the 

 male, but having the central stripe composed entirely of yellow. Young, with the central stripe paler. The 

 upper surface, breast and flanks are clouded with greenish brown. Nestlings, lack the yellow of the crown. 

 In both sexes, ami in all stages of plumage, the irides are brown ; the bill dark brown, lighter at the base of 

 the lower mandible; the tarsi and feet dark brown, with the soles of the latter, yellow. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



This little species m.ay at once be distinguished from all other American kiiglets by the bright orange 

 of the crown. They breed from Northern New England north to the barren grounds. They winter from 

 Massachusetts to Northern Florida. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Length, from 3.15 to 4.00 ; stretch, 5.00 to (J.UO; wing, I.IO to L'.L^') ; tail. 1.05 to l.SU ; bill, MO to .50 ; 

 tarsus, .50 to .07. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in trees, composed of soft moss, arranged in a globular form, with the entrance on the top, 

 lined with feathers. Eggs, eight to ten in number, oval in form, creamy white in color, minutely and some- 

 what obscurely dotted with slaty and brown. Dimensions, .47 by .8^1 to .52 by .41. 



HABITS. 



While visiting; tlio region ;ibout Lake Lhnhiigoi;-, in M;iiae, (hiring the first week in 

 June, 1871, in company with Messrs. Deane and Brewster, 1 was ver}- inuoh surprised to 

 find this little species very common. It inhabits the thick woods, and although the birds 

 were generally invisible, we could hear their peculiar song which consists of a series of low 

 sharp chirps terminated by a lisping warble. They were probably singing for the benefit 

 of their mates which evidently had nests near. Indeed, we shot two or three females tliat 

 bore unmistakable marks of incubating and saw others which exhibited considerable solic- 

 itude whenever we approached certain trees, hopping distractedly about, sounding their 

 querulous alarm notes; in fact, betraying by every movement that their eggs were near. 

 Although we did not succeed in finding the nests at that time many have since been taken 

 from evergreen trees. In summer the birds remain in pairs, or in small parties after the 

 young are Hedged ; but in autumn they gather in tlock.s, a.ssociating with the Avarblers and 

 other small species. About the middle of October they begin to migrate southward, and 

 arrive in Massachusetts during the latter part of the above named montli. Many pass on 

 further south, but some remain all winter. These may be found everywhere upon their 

 arrival, but as it becomes colder, they retire to the woods and cedar groves, where they 

 spend the extreme cold weather, apparently as contented when the thermometer stands 

 at zero as in sunnuer. One can scarcely conceive how such little morsels of flesh and blood 

 can avoid freezing to death during some of the intensely cold nights of midwinter, when 

 many of the larger species perish ; or how they maintain themselves through proctracted 

 «now storms. A large number must die, and the only wonder is that any attempt to with- 

 stand a climate so rigorous. In mild days they emerge from their wooded fastnesses to 

 visit tlie orchards or farm-yards. The}^ are always lively little birds and as they hop nim- 

 bly from twig to twig, in search of the egg,s and larvae of insects, which form almost their 



