Page:Ornithological biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America, vol 2.djvu/583

Rh made a drawing of it in what may be truly called its full spring plumage. A month later, the young of this species were seen feeding among the bushes.

The Ruby-crowned Wren is found in Louisiana and other Southern States, from November until March. Near Charleston, in January last, they were very abundant. The old birds were easily distinguished from the young, without shooting them, on account of the curious difference in their habits, for while the latter kept together among the lowest bushes, the former were generally seen on the top branches of high trees. I have not observed a similar difference in Regulus tricolor. The rich vermilion spot of the head in the present species was wanting in the young, that part being of the same plain colour as the back. I have found this bird in Kentucky also during winter, but generally in southern exposures, and usually in company with the Brown Creeper and the Titmouse.

The little bird of which I speak appears to feed entirely on small in- sects and their larvas ; and I have often thought it wonderful that there should seem to be no lack of food for it even during weather sometimes too cold for the birds themselves. It appears to migrate during the day only, and merely by passing from one bush to another, or hopping among the twigs, until a large piece of water happens to come in its way, when it rises obliquely to the height of above twenty yards, and then proceeds horizontally in short undulations.. It emits a feeble chirp at almost every motion. So swiftly, however, does it perform its migration from Louisiana to Newfoundland and Labrador, that although it sometimes remains, in the first of these countries until late in March, it has young in the latter by the end of June ; and the brood is able to accompany the old birds back to the south in the beginning of August.

The pair before you are placed on a plant which occurs in abundance from Maine to Labrador.

Regulds calendula, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 91.

Bdby-crowned Wren, Sylvia calendula, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 83. pi. 5. fig 3 Nuttall, Manual, part i. p. 415.

Adult Male, in summer plumage. Plate CXCV. Fig. 1.

Bill short, straight, subulate, very slender, compressed, with inflected edges; upper mandible nearly straight in its dorsal outline, the edges scarcely notched close upon the slightly declinate acute tip ; lower man-