POLIOPTILA O^RULIiA— KEGULUS CALENDULA. 409 



with that of Turdus listulatiis, dozens of which were singing at the first 



locality mentioned above. 



List of specimmH. 



377, <J ad.; Virginia Mountains, near PjTamid Lake, December 21, 1867, 9— 

 13J — 4| — 4— g— 3 — 4J — 2%. Bill, tarsi, and toes, deep black; iris, dark brown. 



POLIOPTILA CJ3RULEA. ? 

 Bliic-gray <>nat4-atcli«>f. 



Motacilla ccerulea, Linn., S. N., I, 17G6, 43. 



Polioptila ccerulea, Sclateb, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lend., 1855, 11.— Baird, B. N. Am., 

 1858, 380; Cat. N. Am. B., 1859, No. 282 ; Review, 18G4, 74.— B. B. & R., Hist. 

 N. Am. B., I, 1874, 78, pL vi, fig. 5.— Cooper, Oru. Cal., 35.— CouES, Key, 

 1872, 78; Check List, 1873, No. 23; B. N.W.,1874, 17.— Henshaw, 1875, 166. 



In the chaparral of the western foot-hills of the SieiTa Nevada, we 

 observed, in July, a species of this genus, in considerable plenty. To all 

 appearance it was the same species as that found in the J^ast, but as no 

 specimens were obtained we cannot be positive that the individuals in 

 question were not P. plumbea. They wex'e certainly not P. melanura, which 

 would have been recognized by its black crown. 



Kegulus calendula. 



Ruby-crowned Kinglet. 



Motacilla calendula, Linn., S. N., I, 1766, 337. 



Ecgultts calendula, Light., Verzeichn., 1823, No. 408.— Baird, B. N. Am., 1858, 

 226 ; Cat. N. Am. B., 1859, No. 161 ; Review, 1864, 66.— B. B. & R., Hist. N. 

 Am. B., I, 1874, 75, pi. V, fig. 9.— CooPER, Oru. Cal., 33.— CouES, Key, 1872, 

 78; Check List, 1873, No. 21 ; B. N.W., 1874, 15.-nENSHAW, 1875, 164. 



While the Golden-crowned Kinglet was extremely rare, the Ruby- 

 crown was du-ectly the opposite, for it was a common winter resident in all 

 the lower valleys, while in early spring it became abundant to such an extent 

 as to exceed all other birds in numbers. During the coldest portion of the 

 winter they dwelt among the willows along the river-banks, where the dense 

 cover afforded them a suitable shelter from the cold winds, and a cosy retreat 

 at night. As spring advanced, they .spread themselves over the foot-hills 

 and up the ravines of the mountains, gradually working upward, until the 

 commencement of the summer found them in the pine -forests, where they 

 remained during the season, again descending to the valleys when the cold 



