KINGLETS, GNATCATCHERS, ETC. 463 



about in the thorn bushes like a kinglet, scolding and sputtering 

 when you are near its nest. Very much of a stay-at-home little per- 

 son it is, too, sleeping all the winter nights in the old nests, relined 

 with feathers and hair, or in new ones built for the especial purpose. 

 It shows almost as much anxiety when its winter house is ap- 

 proached as if it contained eggs or young. Poke your finger into 

 the small round hole at the side of the nest early in the morning or 

 after sundown in January, and you will feel a flutter of feathers or 

 get a sharp peck on the fingers to teach you better manners. Even 

 in the breeding season the bird not engaged in incubation spends the 

 nights in a nest not far away, probably an old one used for eggs the 

 previous year. 



The song of the verdin seems even more out of proportion to his 

 inches than his nest, and on following it up you expect to find a 

 big warbler or sparrow instead of such a tiny bird. 



I once saw a verdin pick a scarlet lysium berry, and with it 

 grasped firmly in one foot, his tarsus resting across a branch, eat the 

 juicy pulp from around the seeds with more ease and grace than a 

 hawk could boast in picking a sparrow. VERNON BAILEY. 



FAMILY SYLVIIDJE: KINGLETS, GNATCATCHERS, 



ETC. 



KEY TO GENERA. 



1. Tail graduated, marked with white Polioptila, p. 465. 



1'. Tail emarginate, not marked with white .... Regulus, p. 463. 



GENUS REGTJLUS. 



General Characters. Bill shorter than head, straight, 

 slender ; nostrils concealed ; wings pointed, longer than 

 emarginate tail ; tarsus slender, longer than middle toe and 

 Fig. 588. claw, not scaled. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Crown marked with black and yellow. 



2. Coloration duller satrapa, p, 463. 



^'.Coloration brighter olivaceus, p. 464. 



1'. Crown not marked with black and yellow ; male with red crown patch. 



2. Upper parts grayish olive calendula, p. 404. 



2'. Upper parts sooty olive grinnelli, p. 465. 



748. Regulus satrapa Licht. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. 



Adult male. Crown encircled anteriorly with black, bordered inside by 

 yellow, with a central orange patch ; rest of upper parts gray- 

 ish olive, more olive toward rump ; wings with two whitish 

 bands ; under parts dingy whitish. Adult female : similar, 

 but crown patch wholly yellow. Young : crown patch want- 

 ing but white line over eye ; breast washed with fawn Fig. 589. 



