Birda at Twin Utkk^a. GoL W. D. Soott 



6. Regulus calendula. Euby-crownkd Kingi,kt. — Abundant. 



One of the most common song-birds, and heard everywhere. On the 20th 

 of June I saw a female fly to a pine-tree with material in her bill for build- 

 ing a nest. On looking I found a nest nearly finished. On the 25th of 

 June I took this nest with five fresh eggs, and the female showed signs of 

 having incubated. I think no more eggs would have been laid. The nest 

 is before me as I write, and presents the following peculiarities : It is semi- 

 pensile, being suspended to the leaves of the pine, and to one small branch, 

 much like the Ked-eyed Vireo's nest. It is very large in proportion to the 

 builder, and is made of the bark of sage-brush and of green moss very 

 firmly twisted together, and forming a soft outer wall, of from lialf to a full 

 inch in thickness. This is lined with feathers and hair. The whole nest 

 is very soft, and has the following dimensions : Four inches deep outside ; 

 three inches deep inside ; three inches in diameter outside, and two inches 

 at the top inside, but narrowing to an inch and a half at the bottom. On 

 the outside it is as wide at the bottom as at the top, being in this respect 

 like a Baltimore Oriole's. It was placed at the very outermost twigs and 

 leaves of the tree, about twelve feet from the ground. The eggs are five 

 m number, of a dirty white color, faintly spotted all over with light brown, 

 which becomes quite definite at the larger end. They are large in propor- 

 tion to the size of the bird, and one end is very little sharper than the 

 other. The following arc the dimensions : .55 x .45, .55 x .44, .54 x .42, .57 x 

 .45, .58X.43. 



Bull N.O.O. 4, April, 1879. p. 01 



Birds of San Juan Oo. ColotadOi 

 rank M. Drew 



7. Regulus calendula, Licht. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. — Very 

 abundant from April to October; breeds from 7,500 feet to 10,500 feet. 

 A nest, which I took July 5, was placed in the uppermost branches of a 

 spruce — about 30 feet from the ground — in one of those dark masses 

 where the cones grow thickest, and where it would be impossible to see 

 your hat, were it there. The nest was very loosely placed among the outer 

 twigs, being partially pensile, and was composed of bits of fine bark ex- 

 ternally, and within of silk-weed shreds, moss, spider's silk, and feathers ; 

 all matted together in a compact manner, and lined with wool. It con- 

 tained four young and an addled egg, the latter measuring .014 X .012 

 mm. ; white. 



Following is a description of the nestling plumage. Top of head dark, 

 almost blackish. Back and rump a light tint of olive-green. Beneath a 

 dirty rusty white, darkest on fore-breast. Lores lighter than rest of head. 

 Primaries and secondaries black, edged on inner margin with white; this 

 white is only on basal half of second primary, but gradually extends 

 until it reaches the tip on the last secondary. Outer edge of second prima- 

 ry white. On the basal third of third primary, the yellow edging of the 

 outer mai-gins of the wing feathers begins and, slightly widening, rapidly 

 extends so as to conspicuously color the secondaries and tertials. The 

 outer webs of the latter have quite a wide whitish band which is edged 

 with greenish-yellow. Greater wing-coverts with a terminal band of dirty 

 white. Tail feathers black; outer pair completely so, rest with greenish- 

 yellow margin. Tarsi marbled light and dark. Toes, above flesh color, 

 below yellow. Bill dark above, below flesh colored, pink at base. Meas- 

 urements of one example :— Length, .088; extent. .162; wing, .052; tar- 

 sus, .02 ; tail, .027 mm. 



BuU. N.O.O. a,Aprii.l881,p,S7 



