KINGLETS, GNATCATCHERS 



(748) Regulus satrapa satrapa 



Licht. 

 (Lat., a little king; Gr., a ruler, referring 

 to the golden crown). 



GOLDEN-CROWNED KING- 

 LET. Ad. cf — As shown by the 

 lower bird ; crown orange on a yello\\' 

 field, bordered by black; forehead 

 and line over the eye whitish; rest of 

 upper parts olive-green; wings and 

 tail blackish, the feathers edged with 

 yellowish-green as shown; below dull 

 white. Ad. 9 — The same, except 

 that it lacks the orange spot on the 

 yellow crown. L., 4.00. Nest — A 

 large ball of mosses and feathers, par- 

 tially suspended in the upper branches 

 of coniferous trees. 



Range — Breeds in boreal zones of 

 Canada, south in mountains to Mass., 

 N. Y., N. Car. and N. Mex. Winters 

 throughout the U. S. 



thorny twigs and grasses, and the interior warmly lined with 

 feathers. During breeding season, the males usually spend 

 the nights in old nests near at hand, while, during winter, 

 all the birds, both adults and young, usually sleep in old nests 

 or build new ones for the purpose. 



Family SYLVIIDtE. Kinglets, Gnatcatchers 



GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS are dainty little 

 mites of birds which, during winter, visit us, coming from 

 their homes in Canada. A few, however, nest in some of our 

 Northern States especially in the higher parts. We can but 

 wonder at the hardihood of these birds. It does not seem 

 possible that such little things could survive when the mer- 

 cury often ranges several degrees below zero, but they just 

 fluff out their feathers and make themselves into tiny puffballs 

 during the night, while daytimes they can flit about actively 

 enough. The notes of this species are very wiry and weak, 



41S 



