PASSERES — SYLVIADiE — REGULUS. 63 



Desciuption. Front descending rather abruptly. Bill 0"2 long, depressed at the base, 

 compressed at the tip, with an obsolete notch on the edge of the upper mandible. Nasal 

 membrane covered by a single recumbent decompound feather. A long undivided plate on 

 the upper part of the tarsus, with a few scutellae beneath. The third quill slightly longest. 

 Feathers of the tail narrow, acuminate. Bristles at the base of the bill. 



Color. Above greenish olive ; the hind head plumbeous. Frontlet, line over and beneath 

 the eye light ashen. Summit of the head yellow margined with black ; in the centre of this 

 yellow crown is a longitudinal stripe of flame color : the lateral feathers in the black border, 

 and the yellow feathers above, are long, and capable of concealing the brilliant crown. Beneath 

 greyish, with a slight greenish tinge. Wings and tail dusky. Greater wing-coverts with a 

 white bar across the tips ; another small white bar above this, formed by the tips of the upper 

 wing-coverts. An irregular large black spot on the secondaries, the edges of which are olive. 

 Quills bordered with yellowish. Female, without the red streak on the crown ; frontlet and 

 line over the eye dark ashen grey. 



Length, 4'0. Alar extent, 7"0. 



This bird was for a long time confounded with its closely allied species, the cristatus of 

 Europe. Nuttall, we believe, was the first who suggested the idea of its being specifically 

 distinct ; but his name, tricolor, as well as that of Jardine, yields to the prior appellation 

 given by Lichtenstein. It is extremely active and restless, feeding on minute insects, which 

 it takes on the wing or extracts from the crevices of trees. It is a rare bird in this State, and 

 the only specimens I have seen from this region are those described above. Its geographical 

 range, as far as ascertained, appears to be between the 23d and 54th parallels. It has been 

 observed breeding in Labrador, and in the autumn leaves the northern regions, passing 

 through the United States as far as Mexico. Its history is incomplete. According to Mr. 

 Giraud, it appears with us in April and May on its northern migration ; and on its return, 

 from September to December. 



