KEY TO KINGLETS AND GNATCATCHERS 357 

 Blue -gray Gnat catcher : Polioptila ccerulea. 



Adult male, upper parts bluish gray ; under parts whitish ; fore- 

 head and line over bill black ; outer tail feathers white ; mid- 

 dle ones black. Adult female, similar, but without the black 

 on the head. Length, 4i inches. 



GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION. Eastern United States ; breeds 

 from the Gulf states to northern Illinois, southern Ontario, 

 and New Jersey, and wanders rarely to Minnesota and Maine ; 

 winters from Florida southward. 



This is one of the most piquant and original 

 of birds and will well repay close study. He 

 goes about with wings hanging, 

 whipping his tail as he flirts 

 from branch to branch, and 

 flips out into the air after the 

 small winged insects, reminding 

 one of a Redstart. His call Blue-gray Gnat- 

 note is as distinctive as every- 

 thing else about him a nasal tsang. He war- 

 bles an inconsequent little song as he works. 



Key to Adult Male Kinglets and Gnatcatchers. 



1. Upper parts bluish gray ; summer residents. 



Black line on forehead; tail black, outer feathers white. 

 p. 357. BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. 



V. Upper parts olive-green ; winter visitors. 

 2. Crown reddish orange bordered by black and yellow, 

 p. 356. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLKT. 



2'. Crown with concealed scarlet patch. 



p. 354. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. 



