98 Brewer on the GokUn-Crovmed Kinglet. 



scnre superficial markings of a deep buff, giving to the ground the 

 effect of cream-color. This egg so closely resembles my set of the 

 eggs of R. cristatus that, placed iu the same tray, it is not readily 

 distinguishable from them. It differs in size, shape, and markings 

 from tlie eggs of B. calendula, which are more oval, are marked with 

 brown, and resemble, in description, the eggs of R. ignicapillns. It 

 will be seen that the greatest length of an egg of R. calendida * is 

 .58, that of the supposed satrapa, only .52 ; the least length of ca- 

 lendula .54, that of satrajm .47. The variation in breadth is also as 

 .45 to .41. The average measurement of calendula is .56 X 45, 

 that of mtrapa .49 X -40. 



In " North American Birds " I ventured the remark, in reference 

 to this nest, — then unknown except, as given by Mr. Lord, as pensile 

 and suspended from the extreme end of pine branches, — that the 

 presumption is that it builds a pensile nest not unlike its European 

 congener, and lays small eggs finely sprinkled with buff-colored dots 

 on a white ground, in size nearly corresponding with those of our 

 common Humming-Bird." Mr. Merrill's nest, if not pensile, is at 

 least in a pensile position, and is in all respects such a nest as was 

 to be anticipated from the uniform habits, so far as they are known, 

 of the members of this genus. 



Both of the European species of this genus, R. aristatiis and R. 

 ignicaplllus, and their Asiatic relative, R. himalayensis, are known to 

 bnild pensile nests, though, like very nearly all pensile builders, they 

 occasionally make use of other positions. It was, therefore, not 

 only natural, but even unavoidable, to anticipate that our own Regidi, 

 so closely allied to these in all respects, would be found to nest in 

 a similar manner, and accordingly in "North American Birds" I 

 ventured to say that we might " reasonably infer that its nest (that 

 of R. calendula) is pensile like that of its European kindred." Mr. 

 Scott's timely discovery shows that my anticipations have been 

 realized. But even without this verification I should have felt fully 

 justified in still maintaining the reasonable probability that both 

 of our Reguli, when their history shall be more fully known, will be 

 found to be pensile in their ai'chitecture. Yet the author of " Birds 

 of the Colorado Valley " says : " Since Dr. Brewer thought he miglit 

 reasonably infer that the nest was pensile the discovery has been 

 made that it is not so [the italics are mine], showing that cai'e must 

 be exercised in natural history inferences." Even without the light 



* See Mr. Scott's valuable paper, anted, p. 91. 



