27 



REQTJLUS CALENDULUS. 

 Ruby-crowned Wren. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. 

 "Jlegulus Calendula Licht. Ver/.elch, 1832, Nos. 408-9." BAIKD, Birds of North America, 1858, 220. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. CH. Form, rather stout. Size, soincwlmt larger than the preceding. Bill, rather broad at base, acuminate 

 and slightly curved at the tip of tin- upper mandible. Wings and tail as In satrapa. Marginal Indentations, shallower. 

 Tongue, luMad. with tin- edges nearly straight, to the tip, which is rounded, bitid, with the forked portions and sides 

 enar>ely eiliated for one-third of its terminal length. 



CMI.OU. Ailnll in spring. Above, olivaceous green, brightest on the rump, but becoming ashy on the neck and 

 top of the head, which has a eoueealed spot of bright ruby. Wings and tail, dark brown, edged with greenish. 

 Terliaries, quite broadly margined with whitish. The secondaries and quill feathers are also narrowly edged with 

 it terminally. The two rows of greater wing coverts are tipped with yellowish-white, forming bars. There Is also 

 a dusky band across the secondaries, extending over two or three primaries. Space in front of the eye and a spot 

 behind it, ashy- white. Sides of he. id, lores and ear coverts, ashy ; the latter more dusky. Sides of neck, throat and 

 tireast, also ashy, but of a lighter shade; this color becomes yellowish on the abdomen, flanks, and under tail coverts. 

 .\\illaries and under wing coverts, white. Under portion of the tail and wings, glaucous; the feathers of the latter 

 edged with white. In autumn there is a more yellowish suffusion beneath; the olivaceous of the back Is more 

 uniform, ami extends over the top of the head; the feathers of the ruby crown are also slightly tipped with dusky. 



Yiiuny, similar to the adult in autumn, but lacks the ruby crown. Both sexes are alike, excepting that the 

 female does not acquire the ruby crown as quickly as the male which sometimes has a feather or two of it the first 

 year. Irides, brown. Bill, dark brown, lighter at the base of the lower mandible. Tarsi and feet, browu, with the 

 soles of the latter yellow. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



This species is larger than satrapa, and has the ruby crown in place of the yellow. There is no black on the top 

 of the head in any stage of plumage. Although they breed much further North than the preceding, they winter much 

 further South; being very abundant In Florida, and none being found in Massachusetts. When North, during 

 summer, they are distributed from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of nineteen specimens. Length, 4-33; stretch, C-91; wing, 2-2C; tail, 1-82; bill, -34; 

 tarsus. -72. Longest specimen, 4-50; greatest extent of wings, 7-30; greatest length of wing, 2-35; of tall, 1-8C; 

 of bill, -38; of tarsus, -Til. Shortest specimen, 4-00; smallest extent of wings, 6*75; smallest length of wing, 2-17; 

 of tail, 1-72; of bill, -32; of tarsus, -38. 



HABITS. 



The Ruby-crowned Wrens are the most common birds of Florida during winter, arriving 

 from the North about the first of December, scattering through the hummocks of the 

 mainland of the state, where they may occasionally be found in company with other birds, but 

 an- generally independent; indeed, I think they seldom pay any attention to the movements 

 of even their own companions; each pursues a course agreeable to itself. They can therefore 

 hardly \w called gregarious at this season, being equally numerous in every wooded locality, 

 unless \ve choose to consider all which are in Florida as constituting one vast flock. They move 

 about among the luxuriant growth of trees and shrubs in a manner which plainly indicates that 

 they arc at home. They seem to be always busily engaged in searching for insects upon tho 

 branches, yet will pause to gaze inquisitively at a stranger. They are not noisy at such times, 

 and although very abundant, one who is not a naturalist would scarcely notice them, for they 

 come without bu>tle, remain in the seclusion offered by the hummocks, quietly pursuing their 

 avocations, then, by the mioWle of March, retire Northward as silently as they came. 



When passing Massachusetts in early April they behave far differently, for they are then 

 full of activity, and it' any one chances to enter the wood through which they are migrating they 

 will scold at him most vociferously. The males arc also full of melody, and their musical efforts 

 iii< ist certainly do them credit, for their song consists of a full, clear warble, which excels that 

 of many of our native species. They linger here, frequenting the groves and thickets, until tho 

 latter part of the month, when they have all passed to the North. 



