RUBY-CROWNED REGULUS. 547 



made a drawing of it in what may be truly called its full spring plumage. 

 A month later, the young of this species were seen feeding among the 

 bushes. 



The Ruby-crowned Wren is found in Louisiana and other Southern 

 States, from November until March. Near Charleston, in January last, 

 they were very abundant. The old birds were easily distinguished from 

 the young, without shooting them, on account of the curious difference in 

 their habits, for while the latter kept together among the lowest bushes, 

 the former were generally seen on the top branches of high trees. I have 

 not observed a similar difference in Regulus tricolor. The rich vermilion 

 spot of the head in the present species was wanting in the young, that 

 part being of the same plain colour as the back. I have found this bird 

 in Kentucky also during winter, but generally in southern exposures, 

 and usually in company with the Brown Creeper and the Titmouse. 



The little bird of which I speak appears to feed entirely on small in- 

 sects and their larvas ; and I have often thought it wonderful that there 

 should seem to be no lack of food for it even during weather sometimes 

 too cold for the birds themselves. It appears to migrate during the day 

 only, and merely by passing from one bush to another, or hopping among 

 the twigs, until a large piece of water happens to come in its way, when 

 it rises obliquely to the height of above twenty yards, and then proceeds 

 horizontally in short undulations.. It emits a feeble chirp at almost every 

 motion. So swiftly, however, does it perform its migration from Louisiana 

 to Newfoundland and Labrador, that although it sometimes remains, in 

 the first of these countries until late in March, it has young in the latter 

 by the end of June ; and the brood is able to accompany the old birds 

 back to the south in the beginning of August. 



The pair before you are placed on a plant which occurs in abundance 

 from Maine to Labrador. 



Regulds calendula, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 91. 

 Bdby-crowned Wren, Sylvia calendula, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 83. 

 pi. 5. fig 3 Nuttall, Manual, part i. p. 415. 



Adult Male, in summer plumage. Plate CXCV. Fig. 1. 



Bill short, straight, subulate, very slender, compressed, with inflected 

 edges; upper mandible nearly straight in its dorsal outline, the edges 

 scarcely notched close upon the slightly declinate acute tip ; lower man- 



M m 2 



