EVERYDAY BIRDS 



TWO LITTLE KINGS 



The largest bird in the United States is the 

 California vulture, or condor, which measures 

 from tip to tip of its wings nine feet and a half. 

 At the other end of the scale are the humming- 

 birds, one kind of which, at least, has wings that 

 are less than an inch and a half in length. Next 

 to these insect-like midgets come the birds which 

 have been well named in Latin " Eegulus," and 

 in Enghsh " kinglets," — that is to say, little 

 kings. The fitness of the title comes first from 

 their tiny size, — the chickadee is almost a giant 

 in comparison, — and next from the fact that 

 they wear patches of bright color (crowns) on 

 their heads. 



Two species of kinglets are found at one season 

 or another in nearly all parts of the United 

 States, and are known respectively as the golden- 

 crown — or goldcrest — and the ruby-crown. 



