SYLVIID^ EEGULUS CALENDULA. 15 



The original specimen of this beautiful species came from Fort Frank- 

 lin, Great Bear Lake, as described and figured in the Fauna Boreali- 

 Americana. Dr. Eichardson observes that it is merely a summer visitor 

 to the Fur Countries. At the other extreme of its range, about the Mex- 

 ican border, which, so far as known, it does not pass, it is observed only 

 in winter. In the mountainous portions of Arizona I found it rather 

 uncommon, and only late in the autumn, or in winter ; I do not think 

 it breeds in the vicinity of Fort Whipple, though probably it does so 

 in the higher mountains not far distant. Dr. Cooper noticed its 

 occurrence in numbers about San Diego, in the severe winter of 1861-'G2 ; 

 they remained until February, and suddenly disappeared. "They were 

 at that time," he continues, "sitting perched on the low weeds and 

 bushes about the plains, often quite a flock together, and some con- 

 stantly hovering lilie blue butterflies over the grass, at a height often of 

 fifty feet, on the watch for insects." This accords perfectly with my 

 own observations. The same naturalist found the birds numerous, with 

 lately fledged young, about Lake Tahoe and the summits of the Sierra 

 Nevada, at an elevation of over 6,000 feet. Colonel McCall speaks of 

 their breeding as far south as Santa F6, New Mexico, in boxes provided 

 for them, just like our Eastern species. Mr. Holden found it using old 

 woodpecker holes, and, in one instance, four eggs were deposited in an 

 old car-wheel. The habits of all the species of Sialia are essentially 

 similar, however differently they may be carried out in detail according 

 to circumstances. The eggs of all are alike, pale blue in color, and can- 

 not be distinguished with any certainty. Those of the present species 

 measure 0.90 to 0.95 in length by about 0.70 in breadth, being thus 

 rather larger than those of IS. sialis, which average about 0.85 by 0.68. 



Dr. Hayden procured specimens on all the expeditions, finding the 

 species common near the mountains ; "at Laramie Peak, and thence to 

 the Black Hills, it was one of the most abundant birds noticed.'' 



Family SYLVIID^ : Sylvias. 



An extensive and highly characteristic Old-World family, sparingly 

 represented in the ISTew. A typical Sylvine has been lately ascertained 

 to inhabit this country (Phyllopneuste borealis, Blas. ; see TristeAjMC, 

 Ibis, 1871, 231; CoTJES, Key, 77 ; P. Icennicottii, Bd., Trans. Chic. Acad, 

 i, 313, pi. 30, f. 2, Alaska). The exclusively American genus Polioptila 

 and the widely dispersed genus Begulus are each made with most au- 

 thors, the type of a subfamily. 



, , Subfamily ReGULINJE : Kinglets. 



-V EEGULTJS CALENDULA, (Linn.) Licht. C ■- ' ~ 



Ruby-crowned Singlet. 



Calendula pennsylvanick, Briss., Orn. iii, 584. 



Moiacilla calendula, Linn., Syst. Nat. i, 1766, 337.— Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 994. 



Sylvia calendula, Lath., Ind. Orn. ii, 1790, 549.— WiLS., Am. Orn. i, 1808, 83, pi. 5, fig. 3. 



Begulus calendula, Licht., Verzeichu. 1823. — Nctt., Man. i,- 1832, 415. — Bp., Syn. 1828, 

 91 1 List, 1838, 19.— AuD., Orn. Blog. ii, 546, pi. 195 ; Syn. 1839, 83 ; B. Aai. ii, 1841, 

 168, pi. 133.— WOODH., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 67.— Scl., P. Z. S. 1857, 202 ; 1858, 30O ; 

 1859, 362; 1860, 172 (various Mexican localities).- Be, B. N. A. 1858, 226 ; Ee¥. 

 1864, 66.— Kenn., p. R. E. Rep. x, 1859, pt. iv, 24.— Heerji., ibid. pt. vi, 43.— 

 Coop. & Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 174.— Hayd., Rep. 1862, 159.— CouE.s & 

 Prbnt., Smiths. Rep. 1861, 405.— Wheat., Ohio Agric. Rep. 1860. — Dress., Ibis, 

 1865, 476.— COUES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 66.— Coop., Am. Nat. iii, 1869, 32; Pr. 



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