322 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



fashion, then dropping to another limb, and carelessly hopping about 

 apparently not feeling the contact of the ice with their dainty feet. At 

 such times none of our birds are tamer than these dainty little creatures 

 and none certainly more lovely. They come about the intruder as if 

 utterly unmindful of his presence, often so near that the sparkle of the 

 little black eye, the flash of the glowing orange crown, and every detail 

 of his pretty plumage can be seen." My friend Prof. August Kock, of 

 "Williamsport, informs me he has occasionally met with this species and 

 their young in August and September in Lycoming county. Perhaps 

 future investigations will show that this species breeds sparingly in 

 some of the extensive coniferous forests of our higher mountain ridges. 

 I have never seen the Golden-crown in this state before the 20th of Sep- 

 tember, but have seen two or three specimens of this species which 

 were said to have been taken in Pennsylvania in midsummer. 



Regulus calendula (LINN.). 



Ruby-crowned Kinglet. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length 4| to 4| ; extent about 6 ; above dark olive-green ; rump and outer edges 

 of wing and tail-leathers bright olive-green ; wing-bars, ring round eye and outer 

 edges of inner tertials white. Below grayish- white, more or less shaded, especially 

 on sides and flanks, with pale yellowish-olive. Large concealed patch of scarlet on 

 crown in male. Female and young lack this bright crown patch. 



Habitat. North America, south to Guatemala, north to the Arctic coast, breeding 

 mostly north of the United States. 



The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is an abundant spring and fall migrant, 

 arriving in Pennsylvania early in April and remaining until about the 

 1st of May. Frequents woods, orchards and thickets. After rearing 

 their young in more northern latitudes these diminutive creatures reap- 

 pear in this region about the last week in September, and single indi- 

 viduals or small scattered flocks occasionally remain as late as the first 

 week in November. The food of this species is similar to that of the 

 Golden-crown. "This species of Regulus appears to lack the small 

 feather which in satrapa overlies and conceals the nostrils, which was 

 probably the reason with Cabanis and Blyth for placing it in a different 

 genus. There is no other very apparent difference of form, however, 

 although this furnishes a good character for distinguishing between 

 young specimens of the two species " (Hist. N. Am. B.}. 



