The Ruby-crowned Kinglets 
of unusual excitement, as at the presence of an owl or a cat, the bird 
delivers what I call electric spark notes. Chit it chit it chit it chit it chit it, 
and so on ad infinitum in a sustained, vibrant series. If two birds become 
concerned over the same discovery, the Lilliputian bedlam which follows 
sounds like a six unit wireless transmitting station. During migrations 
the birds swarm through the tree tops like Warblers, but are often found 
singly or in small companies in thickets or open clusters of saplings. 
Photo by the A uthor 
AT TIMBER-LINE ON SHASTA 
In such situations they exhibit more or less curiosity; and if one keeps 
reasonably still, he is almost sure to be inspected from a distance not to 
exceed four or five feet. It is here, too, that the males are found singing 
in spring. The bird often begins sotto voce with two or three high squeaks, 
as though trying to get the pitch down to the range of mortal ears before 
he gives his full voice. The core of the song is something like tew, tew, 
tew, tew, titooreet', titooreet’, the last phrases being given with a rising 
inflection, and with an accent of ravishing sweetness. The tones are 
so pure that they may readily be whistled by the human listener, and a 
