324 
RUBY-CROWNED WREN. 
may be owing to the great number of young and inexperienced 
birds which are then among them; and frequently at this season 
I have stood under the tree, motionless, to observe them, while 
they gleaned among the low branches, sometimes within a foot 
or two of my head. They are extremely adroit in catching their 
prey; have only at times a feeble chirp; visit the tops of the tal- 
lest trees as well as the lowest bushes; and continue generally 
for a considerable time among the branches of the same tree, 
darting about from place to place; appearing, when on the top 
of a high maple, no bigger than humble-bees. 
The Ruby-crowned Wren is four inches long, and six in ex- 
tent; the upper parts of the head, neck and back are of a fine 
greenish olive, with a considerable tinge of yellow; wings and 
tail dusky purplish brown, exteriorly edged with yellow olive; 
secondaries and first row of wing-coverts edged and tipt with 
white, with a spot of deep purplish brown across the seconda- 
ries, just below their coverts; the hind head is ornamented with 
an oblong lateral spot of vermilion, usually almost hid by the 
other plumage; round the eye a ring of yellowish white; whole 
under parts of the same tint; legs dark brown; feet and claws 
yellow; bill slender, straight, not notched, furnished with a few 
black hairs at the base; inside of the mouth orange. The female 
diflfers every little in its plumage from the male, the colours be- 
ing less lively, and the bird somewhat less. Notwithstanding 
my utmost endeavours, I have never been able to discover their 
nest; though, from the circumstance of having found them some- 
times here in summer, I am persuaded that they occasionally 
breed in Pennsylvania; but I know several birds, no larger than 
this, that usually build on the extremities of the tallest trees in 
the woods; which I have discovered from their beginning be- 
fore the leaves are out; many others, no doubt, choose similar 
situations; and should they delay building until the woods are 
thickend with leaves, it is no easy matter to discover them. In 
F all they are so extremely fat as almost to dissolve between the 
fingers as you open them; owing to the great abundance of their 
favourite insects at that time. 
