The Western Golden-cr»\-: K ■ ngJat 
The kinglet and devoted pair in nesting time. 
Whether gathering n ■■■ - >:tie nest or hunting for food after the 
babies are batched : m company as much as possible. They 
are discovered. •; i hundred yards from the home tree, gleaning 
assiduously. ‘ i ; one of the birds by a muffled squeak an¬ 
nounce- a ; «=<•! suggests a return; the < ther acquiesces and they 
set of; io:!i• i ward, die male usually in the lead. It looks as though 
tracing ... o m easy matter, but the l>irds stop circumspectly at 
every to e tump en route, and they are ail too easily lost to sight long 
before the home tree is reached. 
The female Kinglet is a dose situ r and will not often leave the nest 
until the .'..mmining branch is sharp;;. < ipped. Then, invariably, she 
drops down a coupe- of tee! and id;.- diarply sidewise, with manifest 
intvii 1 m a laggard eye. b et almost immediately she is minded 
iv i'et .mb •.v>il O ' ". :1 there is no further demonstration of hostilities. 
Ue-coxi rur r t ggs ' • in i always an easy matter, for the well is deep 
and • iv. c;h ! . One dame lighted on the brim of her nest and 
i • ”... ; d ... t stamped, precisely as a carefully disciplined hus- 
,e : ill "V muddy boots to the kitchen door. The opera- 
ii,.;. . pur unconnected with hesitation in view of ray 
in some way was preparatory to her sinking carefully into 
Lnc Icashor-hic pit before her. When t-hv first covered the eggs, also, 
there was a groat fuss made in settling, as though to free her feathers 
The Kinglets 
Ruby-crowns (upper and right), Western Golden-crowns (lower and left) 
Males and females, about 4/7 life size 
The male bird, - meanwhile, is nor indifferent. First he bustles up 
onto the nesting branch arid rlasht hi- fiery crest in plain token of anger, 
but later he is content to squeak disapproval from a position more 
removed. 
While the mother bird is sitting, the male tends her faithfully, bur 
he .-.pends his spare moments, according to Mr. Bowles, in constructing 
ci ck ne-rs," or decoys, in the. neighboring trees. These seem to serve 
pi purpose beyond that of a nervous relief to the impatient father, and 
a,v seldom as carefully constructed as the veritable donuts. 
\\ hen the young of the first brood are hatched and ready to fly, the 
chief c ure .F ; m falls to the father, while the female prepares for a 
second nr-’in- As to the further domestic relations one cannot speak 
with certainty, but it: would seem probable that fall bird troops consist 
of tiie com!lined familie.- of Mr. and Mrs. Quiverful. 
800 
