260 



8YSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — PASSEBES — OSCINES. 



wanting the scarlet patch. In a newly fledged specimen the wings and tail are as strongly 

 edged with yellowish as in the adult ; bnt the general plumage of the upper parts is rather 

 olive-gray than olive-green, and the under parts are sordid whitish. The bill is light colored 

 at the base, and the toes appear to have been yellowish. N. America at large, breeding far 

 north and in mountains of the West, wintering in the Southern States and beyond. An exqui- 

 site little creature, famous for vocal power, abundant in wooded regions. Nest a large mass 

 of matted hair, feathers, moss, straws, etc., placed on the bough of a tree ; eggs unknown. 

 34. R. satra'pa. (Gr. o-arpajnjs, Lat. sairopes, a ruler; alluding to the bird's golden crown. Fig. 

 132.) GoLDEN-cuBSTBD Kinglet. (J, adult: Upper parts oUve-green, more or less bright, 



sometimes rather olive-ashy, always brightest on 

 the rump; under parts duU ashy-white, or yel- 

 lowish-white. Wings and tail dusky, strongly 

 edged with yellowish, the inner wing-quiUs vrith 

 whitish. On the secondaries, this yellowish edg- 

 ing stops abruptly in advance of the ends of the 

 coverts, leaving a pure blackish interval in ad- 

 vance of the white tips of the greater coverts : 

 this, and the similar tips of the . median coverts, 

 form two white bars across the wings ; inner 

 webs of the quills and tail-feathers edged with 

 white. Superciliary Hne and extreme forehead 

 hoary-whitish. Crown black, enclosing a large 

 space, the middle of which is flame-colored, bor- 

 dered with pure yellow. The black reaches 

 across the forehead; but behind, the yellow and 

 Fig. 132. -Golden-crested Kinglet. (After Audubon.) flame-color reach the general olive of the upper 

 parts. Or, the top of the head may be described as a central bed of flame-color, bounded in 

 front and on the sides with clear yellow, this similarly bounded by black, this again in the 

 same manner by hoary- whitish. Smaller than ij. calendula; overlying nasal plumes larger. 

 Length 4.00; extent 6,50-7.00 ; wing 2.00-2.12 ; tail 1.67. 9, adult; and young : Similar 

 to the adult <? , but the central field of the crown entirely yeUow, enclosed in black (no flame- 

 color). N. America, at large ; another exquisite, abundant in woodland and shrubbery, breed- 

 ing from N. New England northward, wintering in most of the .gOSM ^■^- Nest a ball of 

 moss, hair, feathers, etc., about 4.50 inches in diameter, on JBbB ^°^ bough of a tree, 

 preferably evergreen ; eggs 6-10, white, fully speckled ; M^Sm size 0.50 X 0.40. 

 35« R, s. oliva'ceus? (Lat. olivaceus, olivaceous; oliva, an JUkK^^ olive.) Western 

 Golden-crested Kinglet. A slight variety, said J^^^/y^ to be of livelier color- 

 ation. Pacific coast 

 region. 



A small group of one 

 genus and about a dozen, 

 chiefly Central and South 

 American, species ; peculiar 

 to America. PoliopUla has 

 been sometimes associated 

 with the Paridce, but difiers 

 decidedly and is apparently 

 Sylviine. Characters those 

 of the single genus. 



6. Subfam. POLIOPTILIN/E 



Fig. 133. — Blue-gray Gnat-catcber, nat. size, f Ad nat. del. E. G.) 



