322 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
fashion, then dropping to another limb, and carelessly hopping about 
apparently not feeling the contact of the ice with their dainty feet. At 
such times none of our birds are tamer than these dainty little creatures 
and none certainly more lovely. They come about the intruder as if 
utterly unmindful of his presence, often so near that the sparkle of the 
little black eye, the flash of the glowing orange crown, and every detail 
of his pretty plumage can be seen.” My friend Prof. August Kock, of 
Williamsport, informs me he has occasionally met with this species and 
their young in August and September in Lycoming county. Perhaps 
future investigations will show that this species breeds sparingly in 
some of the extensive coniferous forests of our higher mountain ridges. 
I have never seen the Golden-crown in this state before the 20th of Sep¬ 
tember, but have seen two or three specimens of this species which 
were said to have been taken in Pennsylvania in midsummer. 
Regulus calendula (Linn.). 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet. 
Description. 
Length 4£ to 4| ; extent about 6^ ; above dark olive-green ; rump and outer edges 
of wing and tail-feathers bright olive-green ; wing-bars, ring round eye and outer 
edges of inner tertials white. Below grayish-white, more or less shaded, especially 
on sides and flanks, with pale yellowish-olive. Large concealed patch of scarlet on 
crown in male. Female and young lack this bright crown patch. 
Habitat .—North America, south to Guatemala, north to the Arctic coast, breeding 
mostly north of the United States. 
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is an abundant spring and fall migrant, 
arriving in Pennsylvania early in April and remaining until about the 
1st of May. Frequents woods, orchards and thickets. After rearing 
their young in more northern latitudes these diminutive creatures reap¬ 
pear in this region about the last week in September, and single indi¬ 
viduals or small scattered flocks occasionally remain as late as the first 
week in November. The food of this species is similar to that of the 
Golden-crown. “This species of Regulus appears to lack the small 
feather which in satrapa overlies and conceals the nostrils, which was 
probably the reason with Cabanis and Blyth for placing it in a different 
genus. There is no other very apparent difference of form, however, 
although this furnishes a good character for distinguishing between 
young specimens of the two species ” {Hist. N. Am. B.). 
