OF NEW ENGLAND. 57 



ciable, and often join the merry Chickadees and their follow- 

 ers, in pursuit of their common prey. In spring, when the 

 cold of winter has become somewhat modified, they are rather 

 less social, roam more freely, and finally move northward, their 

 place being immediately supplied by others, who have been 

 living in a warmer climate. These possess habits more nearly 

 akin to the habits of the Ruby-crowned " Wrens " than those 

 of their predecessors, and frequently catch insects in the air, 

 or obtain them by fluttering before some opening cluster of 

 leaves, while so doing, causing their wings to quiver rapidly, 

 1 ' and often exposing the golden feathers of their head, which 

 are opened and shut with great adroitness," which they also 

 more frequently do when skipping about from bough to bough. 

 Many pass the summer in Northern Maine, and in certain parts 

 of the White Mountains, but none breed in a more southern 

 country, unless in New Jersey, as Dr. Abbott thinks is the 

 case. They are " quite common at Umbagog in June ;" " and 

 judging from the condition of female specimens taken, lay their 

 eggs about June 1st." Messrs. Maynard and Brewster " found 

 several pairs in the thick hemlock woods, that evidently had 

 nests in the immediate vicinity." 



(d). Beyond an occasional weak note, or a cry of tsee-tsee- 

 tsee, the Golden-crowned " Wrens " are usually silent, whilst 

 staying in their winter-homes, except on the approach or arri- 

 val of spring, when they sometimes give utterance to a twit- 

 tered warble, which resembles the weaker song-notes of the 

 Chickadees. In their summer-homes they have a song, which 

 Mr. Maynard has described as " a series of low, shrill chirps, 

 terminating in a lisping warble ; " and, when with their young, 

 they twitter constantly, as do also many other birds. 



NOTE. Cuvier's "Kinglet" (liegulus Cuvieri) is a source 

 of conjecture to all modern ornithologists. It was obtained 

 by Audubon near the banks of the Schuylkill River, in June, 

 1812. Only one specimen was taken, which differed from sat- 

 rapa in having the crown-patch entirely vermilion and two 

 black stripes on each side of the head. I have suspicions of 

 having seen this species in New England, but they are too 

 vague to render the supposed circumstance probable. 



