BIRDS OF THE CAMBRIDGE REGION. 38 1 



The records given above, with others that might be cited, show concki- 

 sively that the Hudsonian Chickadee appears too often in eastern Massachusetts 

 to be considered a mere casual visitor. It is almost equally certain, on the other 

 hand, that the species does not occur here regularly nor ever very numerously. 

 Like the Three -toed Woodpeckers it seems to have only partially established a 

 habit of migration. Probably the pathways leading southward are known to, 

 and traversed by, but a Hmited number of birds, and these, no doubt, remain in 

 their northern homes whenever food is abundant there in winter. 



239. Regulus satrapa Licht. 

 Golden-crowned Kinglet. Golden-crested Wren. Golden-crest. 



Very common transient visitor in spring and autumn and not uncommon winter resident. 



seasonal occurrence. 



September 18, 1871, several seen, Fresh Pond Swamps, W. Brewster. 



September 25 — April 20. 

 May 7, 1888, one seen, Waverley, W. Faxon. 



In the mind of the bird lover whose field studies are confined to the region 

 about Cambridge the Golden-crowned Kinglet is ever associated with leafless 

 woods and cold, blustering weather, for it is most conspicuous and familiar in 

 late autumn and winter. Nevertheless, the advance guard of the autumnal 

 migration sometimes arrives as early as September 18 or 20, coming, perhaps, 

 from some of the nearer breeding stations, such as Winchendon, Massachusetts, 

 or Rye Beach, New Hampshire. By the middle of October the birds are usu- 

 ally common, but November is the month of their maximum abundance. More 

 or less of those seen in autumn evidently go still further south to pass the win- 

 ter, the proportion varying with different years. After the migration is over, 

 the Cambridge Region is sometimes nearly depleted of Golden-crests, but they 

 are ordinarily not uncommon, and occasionally really numerous, from December 

 to March. The wintering birds frequent, for the most part, white pines, pitch- 

 pines and hemlocks in the woods ; red cedars in the hill pastures ; and Norway 

 spruces or other exotic evergreens in cultivated grounds — often in rather densely 

 populated localities. In company with the Chickadees, of whose society they 

 seem to be especially fond, they also visit apple orchards, and oak and maple 

 woods. There are times in spring and autumn when the Golden-crests appar- 

 ently prefer deciduous trees — especially gray birches — to any of the evergreens. 



