MOVEMENTS OF THE RUBY-CROWN 95 



Arizona, I found it extremely abundant in spring from the 

 latter part of March to near the middle of May, in the fall 

 from the latter part of September to November, and- judged 

 that it bred in the higher mountains of the vicinity. It is un- 

 necessary to multiply quotations, all going to show a breeding 

 range throughout the mountains of the West from 9,000 feet 

 upward, thence trending eastward along the northern boundary 

 of the United States to Maine and Labrador, and probably 

 sending a spur southward along the Alleghany Mountains. 

 Northwestward it reaches to Alaska, where the bird was found 

 by Mr. W. H. Ball at Nulato. 



But in most portions of the United States, the Ruby-crown 

 appears as a migrant or winter resident. Taking an inter- 

 mediate point, like the District of Columbia for example, where 

 I became familiar with the dainty little creature in my boy- 

 hood, we find that it arrives at least as early as the begin- 

 ning of April, or, in open seasons like the present (1876), a 

 week or two sooner, and remains until the second week in May. 

 It returns in the fall by the end of September, and loiters till 

 November. But it is such a brave and hardy creature that I 

 should never be surprised to find it lingering through the sea- 

 son here, as it does a little further south. For in South Carolina 

 it is one of the abundant winter birds, from October to April, 

 though most numerous in November and March, owing to the 

 recruiting of its ranks by fresh arrivals. Thence through all 

 the Southern States to Texas it is one of the commonest winter 

 birds in suitable localities. Yet a few press on through Mexico, 

 or directly across the Gulf to Central America. In the 

 Colorado Basin, which includes extremes of climatic and topo- 

 graphical conditions, from snow- japped peaks to burning 

 deserts, all the requirements of the bird are fulfilled, and there 

 it is consequently resident gathering on the higher grounds in 

 summer, spreading over the lower in winter migrating indeed, 

 but not in the usual sense of that term, since ascent of the 

 mountain-sides answers instead of a journey toward the pole. 



Of the eggs of this Kinglet I have nothing to say they re- 

 main unknown ; and it is only a little while ago that I should 

 have been perforce as silent respecting the nest. Since Dr. 

 Brewer thought he might " reasonably infer' 7 that the nest was 

 pensile, the discovery has been made that it is not so, showing 

 the care that must be exercised in natural history inferences. 

 The nest was found by Mr. J. H. Batty, in Colorado, July 21, 



