PERCHING BIRDS 



74<9a. SITKA KINGLET. Regulas calendula 

 grinnelli. 



Range. Pacific coast, breeding in Alaska. 

 Said to be brighter than the preceding va 

 riety. 



749b. DUSKY KINGLET. Regulus calendula 

 obscurus. 



Range. Guadalupe Island, Lower California. 



This species nests during March in the large 

 cypress and pine groves at high elevations 

 above the ground. The nests are similar in 

 construction to those of the common Ruby- 

 crown, and the eggs are scarcely different from 

 some specimens of that species; white, dotted 

 and wreathed with reddish brown. Size .56 

 x .43. 



751. BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. 

 Polioptila ccerulea ccerulea. 



Ruby-crowned Kinglet 



Range. United States, east of the Rockies, breeding from the Gulf to the 

 Middle and Central States; casually north to Massachusetts and Minnesota. 



These graceful birds are bluish gray above with a black forehead and central 

 tail feathers, and white underparts. They are common in wooded districts in 

 the south, where they saddle their beautiful nests upon horizontal branches or 

 in crotches usually at quite an elevation from the ground; they 

 resemble large Ruby-throated Hummers' nests but the walls are jfr V-V-. 

 much higher and thicker; they are made of plant fibres and ^f%T 

 down, lined with cottony substances and hair, and covered on tt^'-v'-., ', 

 the outside with lichens to match the limb upon which it is 



Bluish white 



placed. Their eggs are bluish white, specked with reddish chest- 

 nut. Size .58 x .45. Data. Chattanooga, Tenn., April 30, 1900. 

 Nest of moss, covered with lichens and lined with hair and feathers; 20 feet 

 from the ground in a small tree. 



75 la. WESTERN GNATCATCHER. Polioptila ccerulea obscura. 



Range. Western United States and Lower California. 



The habits and eggs of this sub-species are the same as those of the eastern 

 bird, and the nests do not differ except, perhaps, in less ornamentation of the 

 exterior. 



752. PLUMBEOUS GNATCATCHER. Polioptila plumbea. 



Range. Mexican boundary from western Texas to southern California. 



This species has a bright shining black crown and more black 

 on the tail than the eastern Gnatcatcher. They saddle their 

 nests upon the branches of trees or in upright forks, usually at an 

 elevation of ten feet or more from the ground; the nests are 

 made of plant fibres and fine bark strips, compactly felted to- 

 Greenish blue gether, and with little, if any, ornamental lichens on the exterior. 

 Their eggs are pale greenish blue, spotted with reddish brown, and vary from 

 three to five in number. Size .54 x .44. 



441 



