214 BIRDS SYLVIID^. 



the stump over, tearing away a part, and not till then did the bird come 

 out. I am certain that it was a female bluebird, but every one of the five 

 eggs were fwre white. I also noticed that, unlike the Woodpecker's, the 

 bottom of the cavity was well bedded with grass ; strictly a bluebird's 

 nest. The eggs were nearly ready to hatch, and I could save but four, 

 poor specimens. I examined the embryos, however, carefully, and they 

 had the bill and feet of a sialia. It is a variation entirely new to me, 

 although I have seen hundreds of bluebird's eggs. I have no doubt, 

 whatever, of its identity." 



FAMILY SYLVIIDiE. THESYLVIAS. 



Primaries ten f the first about half the length of second. Basal joint of middle toe 

 shorter than that of the inner toe, nnited to the outer for about two-thirds, to the 

 inner for about one-half its length. T-irsus longer than middle toe and claw Gonys 

 more than half the length of the under jaw. Bill very weak and slender, little deonrved 

 or notched at tip. Nostrils exposed. Very small — under six inches long. 



Subfamily REGULINiE. Kinglets. 



Tarsus booted. Wings longer than the emarginate tail. Nostrils overhung by bristly 

 feathers. 



Genus KEGULUS. Cnvier. 



Rictus well bristled Tarsi elongated, exceeding ounsi lerably the middle toe. Lat- 

 eral toes about equal. Claws much carved. Tail feathers acuminate. 



Regclus calendula (L.) Liicht. 



K.tt'by-Ci'owmed Kinglet. 



Eegulus calendula, Kirtland, Ohio Geolog. Sarv , 1836, 163, 183.— Eead, Proc. Philad. 

 Acad. Nat. Sci., vi, 1853, 395.— Whbaton, Ohio Agric. Eep. for 1860, 363; Ee- 

 print, 1861, 5 ; Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Eep. for lb74, 562 ; Eepnnt, 1875, 

 'Z. — Langdon, Cat. Birds of Cin., 1877, 3 ; Revised List, Journ. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist., 

 i, 1879, 170; Eeprinc, 4. 



MotaciUa calendula, Linnjeus, Syst. Nat. i, 1776, 337, 

 Begulus calendula, " Lichtenstein, Verz , 1823." 



Above greenish olive, below whitish, wings and tail dusky, edged with greenish or 

 yellowish, wing coverts whitish tipped. Crown with a rich scarlet patch in both 

 sexes (but wanting in both the first year), no black about head, bill and feet black. 

 Length 4-4i; wing'2i-2i; tail lj-!f . 



Habitat, North America. 



Abandant. Spring and fall migrant. Said to remain in small num- 

 bers in Northeastern Ohio through the summer. 

 The Ruby-crowned Kinglet, or Wren as it is most frequently though 



