It is surprising, in the depth of winter, when in great coat and muffler we keep warm only by vigorous exercise, to see these dainty, feathered mites, unconcerned by the temperature, flitting here and there in their search for insects' eggs and larvæ. They have small fear of man and we may readily approach near enough to hear their thin ti-ti or see their golden-crown. In proportion to its size, this diminutive species lays a larger number of eggs than any other of our birds, as many as 9 or 10 white, brown-marked eggs being laid in their pensile, mossy nest in the latter part of May.
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET
Regulus calendula calendula. [Case 4]. Figs. 70, 71; [Case 5]. Figs. 36, 37
A white eye-ring; two whitish wing-bars, no white in the tail; adult male with a ruby crown-patch; absent in females and young. L. 4½.
Range. Nests chiefly north of the United States; winters from Virginia and Iowa southward.
Washington, abundant T.V., Apl. 12-May 15; Sept. 25-Nov. 1; occasionally winters. Ossining, common T.V., Apl. 8-May 13; Sept. 16-Nov. 3. Cambridge, rather common T.V., Apl. 12-May 5; Oct. 10-30. N. Ohio, common T.V., Apl, 1-May 23; Sept. 9-Nov. 3. Glen Ellyn, fairly common T.V., Mch. 22-May 19; Sept. 9-Oct. 27. SE. Minn., Mch. 12-; Sept. 18-Oct. 24.
A tiny, olive-green bird, with a large white eye-ring, fluttering actively among the yellowing leaves, uttering from time to time a wren-like cack as he twitches his wings and showing little or no fear of man can be only the Ruby-crown, southward bound. He returns before the trees are clad, as the author of a song as marvelous in volume as it is musical in tone; a whistled song of rare sweetness.
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER
Polioptila cærulea cærulea. [Case 4]. Fig. 69
A slender, gray mite with a comparatively long tail of which the central feathers are black, the outer ones white. L. 4½.
Range. Nests from the Gulf States to southern Wisconsin and southern New Jersey; winters from the Gulf States southward.
Washington, rather common S.R., Mch. 30-Nov. 23. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 20-Sept. 15. Glen Ellyn, not common S.R., Apl. 22-Aug. 20; possibly later. SE. Minn., rare S.R.