OF NEW ENGLAND. 55 



their own. They are not usually shy or suspicious, but are so 

 engrossed in their important occupations that they are easily 

 approached, and are not disturbed, when closely watched. 

 They have but little time to think of danger, and continue 

 their career of constant activity (interrupted only by darkness 

 and incubation), apparently regarding all living things as 

 creatures innocent as they themselves. 



(d). In autumn and winter their only note is a feeble lisp. 

 In spring, besides occasionally uttering an indescribable queru- 

 lous sound, and a harsh " grating " note, which belongs exclu- 

 sively to that season, the Ruby-crowned " Wrens " sing ex- 

 tremely well, and louder than such small birds seem capable 

 of singing. Their song commonly begins with a few clear 

 whistles^ followed by a short, very sweet, and complicated 

 warble, and ending with notes like the syllables tii-we-we, tu-we- 

 we, tu-we-we. These latter are often repeated separately, as if 

 the birds had no time for the prelude, or are sometimes merely 

 prefaced by a few rather shrill notes with a rising inflection. 



It is astonishing, under existing circumstances, that neither 

 nest nor egg of the Ruby-crowned "Wrens " has been discov- 

 ered, or at least described. It is probable, and on their ac- 

 count it is to be hoped, that they may long continue to rear 

 their young in happiness and peace, undisturbed by naturalists, 

 in the immense forests of the North. 



(B) SATRAPA. Golden-crowned " Wren." Golden-crowned 

 " Kinglet." " Gold-crest." 



(Moderately common from October until April or May.) 



(a). Like calendulus (A), except on the head. Crown with 

 a yellow patch (enclosing in ^ a scarlet one), bordered in 

 front and on the sides by a continuous black line. 



(6). The nest of these birds has never, so far as I know, 

 been discovered by any naturalist, previously to this year 

 (1875). Wilson, indeed, thinking that the English "gold- 

 crest " was identical with ours, which is not the case, quoted 

 a description of the nest and eggs of that bird from Dr. 



