THE WESTERN GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. 



263 



"CiOOD tilings coUK' dont.' up in sniali packages,"' my coik'gc cliuni used 

 to say (speaking, of course, of /(/ fciuiiw pclilc ), and tiial was bef(jre lie knew 

 the Golden-crowned Kinglet. Indeed, it is surprising how few peo]5le do 

 know this aniialile little monarch: and _\et, I suppose, he is l)v all ixlds the most 

 abundant bird in Washington. To .me who seeks the honor of his ac(|iiaint- 

 ance, he pro\es a most delightful friend: hut he has his littk' mo(lesties and 

 reserves, heci>iiiiiig to a potentate, so that a thousand (jf him would never be 

 "common.'" nor ])all upon the senses. 



Kinglets g" in ir'in]H-^. faniih' ]):irlic<. wliirli !<ce]) a litth' to tlu'iii'^cK'es 

 ord i narilv ; 

 altlio Chick- 

 adees and 

 Xu thatches. 



r eve n 

 Creepers 

 and Wrens, 

 are welcome 

 messmates, 

 in the friend 



1 y w inter 

 time. F,\cr- 

 green trees, 

 exclusively, 

 are frequent- 

 ed, except 

 (luring mi- 

 grations up- 

 on the East- 

 side where 

 the favorite 



cover is lacking, and the real ainindance of the birds at all seasons is coex- 

 tensive with that of the Douglas Spruce I Psciidotsiiga douglasi). With 

 tireless energy they search both bark and branches for insects' eggs and larv;e 

 scarce visible to the human eye. They peer about incessantly, bending and 

 darting and twisting and squirming, now hanging head downward, if need be, 

 now fluttering prettily against the under side of tiie branch abo\e; but always 

 on the go, until frequently one (les])airs of catching fair sight of the crown 

 for the necessary fraction of a second. Of course it's a Golden-crown: but, 

 then, we want to see it. 



And all the time Cutikins is carrving on an amiable comersalion witii his 



Xational Park. 



From a Photograph Copyright, 

 THE UiWEILIXG. 



FAVORITE HAUNT OF THE KI.NGI.ET. 



by IV. I.. Damson. 



