^"Is^^^] Palmer, The Sitkart Kinglet. 399 



reason to believ^e there is a marked color change without moult 

 or abrasion. The wing- and tail-feathers are moulted but once a 

 year, in August and September. 



The Willow Goldfinch is a characteristic inhabitant of the willow 

 copses which border the marshes and sluggish streams of the 

 lowlands. In summer, in Southern California, it is confined 

 almost exclusively to these localities. But in fall and winter it 

 gathers in small flocks and haunts the sunflower patches on the 

 mesas, and even the mountain caiions, feeding on the buds and 

 seeds of the sycamores and alders. 



I am indebted to Mr. Robert Ridgway of the National Museum 

 for sugg^tions in regard to this paper, and to the authorities of 

 the National Museum for the loan of a series of S. tristis for 

 comparison. 



THE SITKAN KINGLET. 



BY WILLIAM PALMER. 



Three adult summer Ruby-crowned Kinglets, collected by 

 Mr. Joseph Grinnell near Sitka, Alaska, and two others, a spring 

 male and an immature, collected at the same place by Fred. 

 Bischoff, differ so much from many specimens of Regtihis calen- 

 dula with which I have compared them as to be worthy of sepa- 

 ration by name. 



Regulus calendula grinnelli, subs. nov. Sitkan Kinglet. 



Differential Characters. — Above sootj* dark olive (similar to R. 

 obscurus) darkening to blackish along sides of vermilion crown patch. 

 Beneath, throat and breast dusky graj^ ; abdomen whitish tinged with 

 yellowish. Bill slenderer at tip and broader at base than in calendula 

 and laterally indented in the center. Wings with dark parts nearly 

 black. Size between R. calendula and R. obscurus. Type, adult $ , No. 

 160931,1;. S.Nat. Mus. Collection (No. ii6i,J. G. Coll.). Collected by 

 Joseph Grinnell, June 23, 1S96, Sitka, Alaska. 



Immature [<?■]. — Above rich brownish olive, much darker than in 

 calendula of same age. Beneath brighter than in same. Size smaller 

 with longer and more slender bill. Wings darker with narrower and 

 yellower bars. No. 45928, U. S. Nat. Mus. Coll., Sitka, :866; Fred. 

 Bischoff. 



