326 BIRDS OF NORTH CAROLINA 



The nest is built in a natural cavity in a dead or living tree, or in a hole dug 

 by the birds themselves in a dead stub or stump, occasionally even in the aban- 

 doned hole excavated by some other bird. The cavity is lined with feathers, fur, 

 cotton, cattail fluff, moss, hair, bark strips, and similar materials matted rather 

 than woven together. It is usually about six inches below the entrance hole, which 

 is itself at a height of from two to twelve feet from the ground. The eggs number 

 four to seven, and are white, sprinkled with small blotches and specks of reddish 

 brown. Size .60 x .50. April is the usual month for nesting. 



This is an active little bird, and when feeding may often be seen hanging back 

 downward on a pine-cone, or on a bunch of dead leaves caught in the branches. 



58. FAMILY SYLVIID>. KINGLETS, GNATCATCHERS, ETC. 



This family contains many species of small birds which in the Old World take 

 the place occupied in America by the Wood Warblers. In this country it is repre- 

 sented only by the almost cosmopolitan genus Regulus, and the American genus 

 Polioptila. 



KEY TO GENERA 



1. Wings decidedly longer than tail; color olivaceous. Regulus. 

 1. Wings and tail about equal; color ashy blue. Polioptila. 



Genus Regulus (Cuv.) 



KEY TO SPECIES 



1. Crown yellow, bordered with black in front and on sides; male with a central patch of orange 



in the middle of the yellow. Golden-crowned Kinglet. 

 1. Crown without black or yellow; male with a concealed crown-patch which is usually bright 



red, but very rarely yellow. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. 



332. Regulus satrapa satrapa"(LicM.). GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. 



Description. Olivaceous above, whitish below; crown with a yellow patch bordsred with black 

 (orange-red in center in male); forehead and line over eye whitish. L., 4.10; W., 2.15; T., 1.75. 



Range. Eastern North America, breeding mainly north of the United States. 



Range in North Carolina. Winter visitor throughout the State; resident and breeds on some 

 of the higher mountains. 



TIG. 267. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. 



This is a common winter visitor in this State, arriving about the middle of 

 October and leaving in April. While here it usually goes in troops, frequenting 

 groves of evergreens. 



