102 



Bird Studies. 



about thirty feet from the ground. The structure is composed of fine grasses, 

 delicate strips of bark and plant fibre, compactly woven, and decorated ex- 

 ternally with lichens, much after the method of the Ruby-throated Hum- 

 mingbird. The four or five eggs are white much marked with spots of 

 reddish brown. They are rather more than half an inch long, and more than 

 two fifths of an inch in their smaller diameter. 



These two diminutive birds are generally similar in appearance, and do 

 not vary greatly in size. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is slightly the larger, 



being- four and two fifths inches long;. The Golden- 

 Ruby-crowned . r i 



Kinglet crowned rarely exceeds lour inches. Both have a coat of 



Reguius calendula (Linn.), pale olive green, often with a grayish tone. The wings 



Golden-crowned and tail are more dusky, and the feathers are edged with 



Kinglet. lighter olive green. The lower parts of both species are 



obscure whitish, often tinged with olive. 



The Ruby-crowned Kinglet has the olive green coat extending unbroken 

 to the tail, concealing in adult male birds the bright scarlet patch on the 

 crown. The females and immature birds lack this bright color on the head. 



RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. 



