FEMALE GOLDEN-CROWNED GOLD-CREST. 23 
pittus, contrary to our expectations, also prove to be an inhabitant 
of this country, it will appear, along with its mate, in another 
volume of this work. All the ornithologists state, that the latter 
is a native of this continent, whilst they take no notice whatever of 
the Regulus cristatus , which, if not the only indigenous, is certainly 
the more common species. This error seems to have originated 
with Vieillot, who, considering the two species as but one, probably 
was not careful in selecting the individual from which his drawing 
was made; he may, therefore, have chosen an European bird, and 
unluckily of the other species, as both are found in Europe. 
However this may be, his figure is certainly that of the ignica¬ 
pillus; and, it is equally obvious, that his short description of the 
female can only apply to the female of the cristatus, which corro¬ 
borates my opinion. In the (French) New Dictionary of Natural 
History, Vieillot distinguishes two varieties of Regulus cristatus, 
and again describes the ignicapillus as the one he saw in America. 
If this observation could be relied upon, we should admit that both 
species are inhabitants of this country, although the present, which 
must be by far the most numerous, is certainly not the ignicapillus. 
I agree with Ray, Vieillot, and other authors, and dissent from 
Linne, Latham, TVdson, and Temminck, respecting the propriety 
of placing these birds in a separate genus from Sylvia, and I have 
therefore changed the generic name adopted by Wilson. This 
genus forms a link intermediate to the genera Sylvia and Rarus. 
It is small both in the number and size of its species, consisting of 
the two smallest of the European birds, one of which is the subject 
of this article; an American species, the Ruby-crowned Gold-crest 
(Regulus calendulas), so well figured and described by Wilson; 
and a fourth from Asia. 
The most obvious characters that distinguish the genus Regulus 
from Sijlvia are, the bill remarkably slender throughout, and two 
small decomposed feathers, directed forwards so as to cover the 
nostrils. 
