RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. 403 



Hab. — North America generally, breeding in the northern and elevated 

 parts of the United States and northward, migrating south, in winter, to 

 Guatemala. 



Nest, in appearance resembling a ball of moss ; it is opened at the top, the 

 cavity warmly lined with feathers, plant down and wool, fastened to the outer 

 twig of a branch, six to eight feet from the ground. 



Eggs, ten, ground color creamy-white, with numerous shell marks of 

 purplish-slate and a few superficial markings of deep butf, making the whole 

 appear of a cream color. 



This is an abundant winter resident, appearing in November and 

 xemaining till April. During the severe weather in February and 

 March, when the mercury is near zero, it is really surprising to see 

 these tiny, feathered creatures, full of animatioji, flitting about among 

 the evergreens, uttering their cheerful notes of encouragement to 

 their companions, and digging out their insect food from the crevices 

 of the bark. On these occasions they are usually accompanied by 

 •Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers and White-bellied Nuthatches, 

 making a merry company, nowise discouraged by the severity of 

 the weather. 



The Gold-crest is known to breed in Northern New England, a 

 nest containing young having been found by Mr. H. D. Minot in a 

 forest of evergreens and birches on the White Mountains of New 

 Hampshire, on the 16th of July, 1876. I once met with a pair, 

 evidently mated, who were located in a swamp in West Plamboro' 

 about the end of June. I did not persevere in seeking the nest, 

 though I felt sure it was close at hand. That is the only time I have 

 seen the species here in summer. 



It is generally distributed throughout Ontario, but is rare in 

 Manitoba, and in Alaska is replaced by the western form {Regulus 

 satrapa olivaceus). Mr. Brewster found it breeding in Worcester 

 ■County, Mass., where he secured three nests with eggs, a detailed 

 account of which is given in the Auk, Vol. V., pages 3.37-344. 



REGULUS CALENDULA (Linn.). 

 308. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. (749) 



Above, greenish-olive ; below, whitish ; wings and tail, dusky, edged with 

 greenish or yellowish ; wing coverts, whitish tipped ; crown, with a rich scarlet 

 patch in both sexes (but wanting in both the first year), no black about head; 

 bill and feet, black. Length, 4-4^; wing, 2J-2J ; tail, 1^-1 J. 



