BIEDS OF NORTH AND MIDISLE AMERICA. 699 



Range. — Northern Hemisphere, breeding in more northern or higher 

 coniferous forests. (About lifteen species and subspecies.) 



In all features of external structure this genus comes so very close 

 to Reguloides" that I can not understand why it should ever have been 

 placed among the Paridse, as has been done by Mr. Seebohm, Dr. 

 Gadow, and others. The surprising feature of the case is that in 

 scarcely a single character does it agree with the diagnoses of the ParidsB 

 (or Parinse) of the authors who thus misplace it. For example, Mr. 

 Seebohm, in comparing^ his "Subfamily Parinte" (i.e. Paridse + Pan- 

 urus 4- Regulus + Accewler + Certhiidse + Sittidse + Troglodytidael) 

 with the "Turdinse" (Turdidte) and "Sylviinse" (Sylviidse) says: 

 "From both these subfamilies they are distinguished by their conical 

 bills with no dental notch. From the former they are further distin- 

 guished by their scutellated tarsi, and from the latter by their single 

 Dioult." Now, Regulus does not agree in any of these respects, except 

 possibly in the matter of molt, regarding which I possess no definite 

 information," having, as it does, a distinctly notched bill and typically 

 " booted " tarsi. 



The single feather covering the nostril in the typical species of 

 Regulus has often been mentioned, and Gates'* attaches so much 

 importance to this feather that he raises the genus to family rank, 

 forgetting, or perhaps being unaware, as does Dr. Gadow ^ also, that 

 one species of Regulus {R. calendula) does not possess this feather; 

 that is to say, the latero-f rental bristly plumules are equally developed 

 instead of a single one, on each side, being much larger than the rest. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OP REGULUS. 



a. A whitish superciliary stripe; pileum with a more or less distinct stripe of black or 

 dusky along each side. 

 6. Black crown-stripes broad, connected anteriorly, inclosing a patch of yellow, 

 yellow and orange, or red. (Adultls.) 

 c. Forehead and lores whitish confluent with a broad superciliary stripe of the 

 same color; no black postocular stripe; crown-patch not orange margined 

 with yellow in males, wholly yellow in females. (Regulus satrapa.) 

 d. Coloration grayer above; wing and tail longer, bill stouter. (Eastern North 



America.) Regulus satrapa satrapa (p. 700) 



dd. Coloration more olivaceous above; iwing and tail shorter, bill more slender. 

 (Western North America, from Kadiak, Alaska, to Oaxaca, southern 

 Mexico. ) Regulus satrapa olivaceus (p. 702) 



"See page 695, footnote. 



6 History of British Birds and their Eggs, i, 1883, 451. 



« Though Gates, in Birds of British India (i, 344), mentions "the single moult." 

 ''Birds of Britith India, i, 344. He says: "These birds possess a character which 

 suffices to separate them from all other Passeres, viz, a stiff, small, and perfect 

 feather over each nostril. This character is sufficiently important, in my opinion, 

 to render it desirable to elevate the Goldcrests to the rank of a family." 



«Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., viii, 1883, 79. 



