CHARACTERS OF REGULUS CALENDULA 93 



Ess. Inst. v. I860, 84. Ooues, Pr. Phila. Acad. xviii. 1866, 66 (Fort Whipple, Ariz.). 

 Coues, Proc. Essex Inst. v. 1865, 268. Trippe, Proc. Essex Inst. vi. 1871, 115. Mayn. B. 

 Fla. 1872, 27. Mayn. Pr. Boat. Soc. xiv. 1872, 361. Trippe apud Coues, BNW. 1874, 229. 



Reguloides calendula, Bp. CA. i. 1850, 292. 



Phyllobaslleus calendula, Cab. MH.i. 1851, 33. 



Corthylio calendula, Cab. j. f. o. i. 1853, 83. 



Regulus (Tistatus alter vertice rublni coloris, Bartr. Trav. Fla. 1791, 292. 



RegUlUS PUblneus, V. OAS. ii. 1807, 49, pis. 104, 105. Less. Tr. Orn. 1831, 421. 



Ruby-crowned Wren, Edw. Birds, pi. 254, f. 2.Forst. \. c. 



Roitelet rubiS, Buff. v. 373. Le M. Ois. Canad. 1861, 215. 



Ruby-crowned Warbler, Penn. AZ. ii. 1785, 413, no. 320. 



Ruby-crowned Ringlet, And. l. c. 



HAB. North America at large. Mexico. Central America to Guatemala 

 at least. Greenland. Accidental in Europe ("BREE, B. Eur. ii. 109 "). 



CH. SP. < 9 Naribus semi-nudis. Virenti-olivaceus, subtus 

 sordide flavo-albidus,uropygio vtmarginibus remigum rectricumque 

 flavicantibus, alls albo-bifasciatis, orbitis albis, vertice coccineo. 

 Juu. vertice dor so concolore. 



$ $ , adult : Upper parts greenish-olive, becoming more yellowish on the 

 rump ; wings and tail dusky, strongly edged with yellowish ; whole under 

 parts dull yellowish-white, or yellowish- or greenish-gray (very variable in 

 tone) ; wings crossed with two whitish bars, and inner secondaries edged 

 with the same. Edges of eyelids, lores and extreme forehead hoary whitish. 

 A rich scarlet patch, partially concealed, on the crown. This beautiful 

 ornament is apparently not gained until the second year, and there is a 

 question whether it is ever present in the female. Length, 4 (a dozen fresh 

 specimens range from 4- 1 1 - to 4|) ; extent, 6f to 7 ; wing, 2-2 ; tail, If. 



Young for the first year (and 9 ?) : Quite like the adult, but wanting the 

 scarlet patch. In a newly fledged specimen, procured in the Rocky Mount- 

 ains of Colorado by Major Powell, the wings and tail are as strongly edged 

 with yellowish asm the adult; but the general plumage of the upper parts 

 is rather olive-gray than olive-green, and the under parts are sordid whitish. 

 The bill is light colored at the base, and the toes appear to have been 

 yellowish. 



ONE of the most remarkable things about the Ruby-crown 

 is its extraordinary powers of song. It is really surprising 

 that such a tiny creature should be capable of the strong and 

 sustained notes it utters when in full song. The lower larynx, 

 the sound-producing organ, is not much bigger than a good 

 sized pin's head, and the muscles that move it are almost 

 microscopic shreds of flesh. If the strength of the human 

 voice were in the same proportion to the size of the larynx, we 

 could converse with ease at a distance of a mile or more. The 

 Kinglet's exquisite vocalization defies description ; we can only 

 speak, in general terms, of the power, purity, and volume of 

 the notes, their faultless modulation and long continuance. 



