Part 12

Mr. Nuttall met with this species in the early part of June, northwest of Laramie Fork. The female uttered a low complaint when her nest was approached. This was constructed in a hole in a clay cliff. Another was found in the trunk of a decayed cedar. In one of these the young were already hatched. The nest was composed of dried grasses, but in very insignificant quantity. Mr. Nuttall found them much more shy than the common species, and describes them as feeding in very nearly the same manner. He afterwards found a nest of the same species in a cliff of the Sandy River, a branch of the Colorado. Both parents were feeding their brood. The female was very uneasy at his approach, chirping, and at intervals uttering a plaintive cry. He states that the male bird has a more plaintive and monotonous song than that of the common Bluebird, and that it has the same warbling tone and manner. He afterwards observed the same species in the winter, at Fort Vancouver, associating with the Western Bluebird.

Dr. Woodhouse found the Arctic Bluebird quite common in the vicinity of Santa Fé, in New Mexico, where they breed about the houses in boxes put up for them by the inhabitants for the purpose.

Mr. Townsend found this species in the vicinity of the Platte River, near the Black Hills, and also on the banks of the Columbia. They confined themselves to the fences in the neighborhood of settlements, occasionally lighting upon the ground and scratching for minute insects. He describes their song as a delightful warble. Its notes resemble those of the common Bluebird, but are so different as to be easily recognized; they are equally sweet and clear, but have much less power.

Neither Dr. Gambel nor Dr. Heermann found this species in California excepting during the winter, and were of the opinion that none remain there to breed.

Dr. Kennerly observed them at different points among the Rocky Mountains, where they frequented the vicinity of his camp early in the morning, at some times in pairs and at others in flocks of four or five.

Mr. J. K. Lord states that he found this Bluebird very abundant between the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains, where they arrive in June and leave in September. After nesting they assembled in large flocks, and fed on the open plains.

The eggs are of a very light blue, paler than those of the other species. They measure .89 of an inch in length by .66 in breadth.

Mr. Ridgway states that he found the Rocky Mountain Bluebird nesting in Virginia City in June. Its nests were built about the old buildings, and occasionally in the unused excavations about the mines. At Austin he also found it common in July, in similar localities. On the East Humboldt Mountains it was very numerous, especially on the more elevated portions, where it nested among the rocks and, though more rarely, in the deserted excavations of woodpeckers in the stunted piñon and cedar trees. He describes it as generally very shy and difficult to obtain, seldom permitting a very near approach. In its habits it is much less arboreal than either _S. mexicana_ or _S. sialis_, always preferring the open mountain portions in the higher ranges of the Great Basin.

In regard to its notes Mr. Ridgway says: “The common note of this species would, from its character, be at once recognized as that of a Bluebird. Its autumnal note, however, lacks entirely the peculiar plaintiveness so characteristic of that of our Eastern species, and is much more feeble, consisting of a simple weak _chirp_. Like the _S. mexicana_, the _S. arctica_ was also never heard to give utterance to anything resembling the lovely spring warbling of the _S. sialis_.”

FAMILY SYLVIIDÆ.—THE SYLVIAS.

CHAR. Bill much shorter than head, slender, broad, and depressed at the base, distinctly notched and decurved at the tip. Culmen sharp-ridged at base. Frontal feathers reaching to the nostrils, which are oval, with membrane above, and overhung—not concealed—by a few bristles or by a feather. Rictal bristles extending beyond nostrils. Tarsi booted or scutellate. Basal joint of middle toe attached its whole length externally, half-way internally. Primaries ten; spurious primary about half the second, which is shorter than the seventh. Lateral toes equal.

The birds of this family are readily distinguished from the _Paridæ_ by the slender bill, notched and decurved at tip; much bristled gape, sharp-ridged culmen, exposed oval nostrils, less adherent toes, etc. They are much smaller than the _Turdidæ_ and _Saxicolidæ_, with much more slender, depressed bill, longer rictal bristles, etc. The short outer primary, with the primaries ten in number, distinguish them from the _Sylvicolidæ_.

The following synopsis will serve to characterize the American forms of their respective subfamilies. The species are all among the most diminutive in size with the exception of the Humming-Birds:—

A. Wings longer than the nearly even and emarginate tail. Scutellæ of tarsus scarcely or not at all appreciable. General color olivaceous above. No white on tail.

Nostrils naked. Scutellæ distinct on inner face of tarsus only. Head plain. … _Sylviinæ._

Nostrils overhung by bristly feathers. Scutellæ of tarsus not appreciable. Head with a colored central crest … _Regulinæ._

B. Wings about equal to the graduated tail. Tarsal scutellæ distinct. Above bluish; tail with white spots or patches.

Nostrils uncovered. Head plain; either bluish or black above.… _Polioptilinæ._

SUBFAMILY SYLVIINÆ.

CHAR. Size and form of _Sylvicolinæ_, but with a spurious first primary about one third the second quill. Wings considerably longer than the nearly even or emarginate tail. Feathers of frontal region with bristly points; but not covering the nostrils. Tarsi scutellate anteriorly, but indistinct externally. (Characters drawn with reference to the American form.)

The introduction of this subfamily into the present work is required to accommodate a species of _Phyllopneuste_ collected on the Yukon by the Russian Telegraph Expedition, the first known instance of the existence in North America of a group of birds characteristic of the northern parts of the Old World. Among the smallest of the class, they are eminently sociable, and feed entirely on insects, which they capture mostly on the wing, like flycatchers. The nest is placed on the ground, and is of an oval or spherical form with a round opening on one side. The sexes are similar, and the young differ very little from the parents.

GENUS PHYLLOPNEUSTE, MEYER & WOLF.

_Phyllopneuste_, MEYER & WOLF, Taschenbuch, 1822.—DEGLAND et GERBE, Ornith. Europ. I, 1867, 543.

[Line drawing: _Phyllopneuste borealis._ 45909]

GEN. CHAR. Bill shorter than the head; straight, slender, and depressed, notched at tip. Nostrils open. Tarsi lengthened; exceeding the middle toe; scutellate anteriorly, but with the plates indistinct, claws short, much curved. Wings pointed, longer than tail, and reaching at least to its middle; spurious quill extending farther than the upper covert. Tail emarginate. Olivaceous above; yellowish or whitish beneath.

For the purpose of distinguishing this genus from any other North American, it is enough to say that, of the general appearance of the warblers, it has a short spurious first primary, as in the Thrushes, and some _Vireonidæ_. The single species found as yet within our limits resembles at first sight an immature _Dendroica æstiva_, but is easily distinguished by the wing formula, the yellowish stripe over the eye, and the brown tail-feathers.

Phyllopneuste borealis, BLAS.

ALASKA WILLOW WARBLER.

_Phyllopneuste borealis_, BLAS. Ibis, 1862, 69. _Phyllopneuste_, KENN., BAIRD, Trans. Chicago Acad. Sci. I, ii, p. 313, pl. xxx, fig. 2, 1869.

SP. CHAR. (Description of specimen No. 45,909.) Plumage in August: above olive-green, with a slight shade of brown on top of head, rather lighter behind; beneath white, tinged with greenish-yellow; more olive on the throat and breast; and more yellow behind, inside the wing and on thighs; axillars purer yellow. A well-marked greenish-yellow line from nostrils over the eye to the nape (extending behind the eye nearly as far as from eye to tip of bill), beneath this an olivaceous streak through the eye, running into the mixed olive and yellowish of the cheeks. Quills and tail-feathers brown, edged with olivaceous; the outer edges of primaries more yellowish than those of secondaries; the greater coverts tipped externally with greenish-yellow, so as to form a distinct band across the wing. Bill rather dark brown; paler beneath. Legs dark olive; toes not sensibly different. Nest probably on ground, and domed. Eggs white, spotted with pink.

Spurious quill in length about one fourth the second, which about equals the sixth, or very slightly exceeds it; third and fourth longest; fifth a little shorter.

Dimensions (fresh specimen before being skinned): total length, 4.75; expanse of wings, 6.00; wing from carpal joint, 2.50.

Dimensions (prepared specimen): total length, 4.60; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.00. Exposed portion of first primary, 0.42; of second, 1.56; of longest (measured from exposed base of first primary), 1.85. Bill: length from above, 0.38; from nostril, 0.29; along gape, 1.55. Legs: tarsus, 0.66; middle toe and claw, 0.55; claw alone, 0.16; hind toe and claw, 0.36; claw alone, 0.20.

HAB. Northeast Asia (China, East Siberia); adjacent to Behring’s Straits and Alaska.

This species, in general appearance, apparently comes nearer to _P. trochilus_ than to any other of its congeners. It is, however, more olivaceous-green above, and more yellow beneath, and has a distinct band across the wing. The superciliary light stripe is more distinct and longer; the bill and legs are darker, and the toes not sensibly different in color from the tarsus. The proportion of the quills is much the same, except that the interval between the tips of the fifth and sixth quills is greater, and the second is almost inappreciably longer than the latter, not reaching nearly midway between the two. The first or spurious quill is rather shorter.

A single specimen of this species was obtained August 16, 1866, on St. Michael’s Island, in Norton Sound, Alaska, by Mr. Charles Pease. Mr. Bannister met with no other specimen in that locality, and from this it is inferred that this is not an abundant species there. It was described as a new species under the name of _P. kennicottii_ (Baird), but has been ascertained by Mr. Tristram, to whom it was sent for examination, (Ibis, 1871, p. 231,) to be identical with _P. borcalis_ of Blasius.

Dr. Blasius also states (Naumannia, 1858, p. 303) that a specimen of this species has been obtained on the island of Heligoland, showing it to be also an accidental visitant to Western Europe.

HABITS. Mr. R. Swinhoe, who describes this among the birds of Formosa as _P. sylvicultrix_, states it to be a summer visitant to Southern China, passing in large numbers through Amoy in its autumnal migrations southeastward, probably to the Philippine Islands, touching at Southwestern Formosa and Twaiwanfoo, where he found them abundant. This was for a few days in October, but he neither saw any before nor afterwards, nor did he meet with any at Tamsuy (Ibis, 1863, p. 307). The same writer (Ibis, 1860, p. 53) speaks of this bird as very abundant in Amoy during the months of April and May, but passing farther north to breed.

We have no information in reference to its habits, and nothing farther in regard to its distribution. As it bears a very close resemblance to the Willow Wren of Europe, _P. trochilus_, it is quite probable that its general habits, nest, and eggs will be found to correspond very closely with those of that bird.

The European warblers of the genus _Phyllopneuste_ are all insect-eating birds, capturing their prey while on the wing, and also feeding on their larvæ. They frequent the woodlands during their breeding-season, but at all other times are much more familiar, keeping about dwellings and sheepfolds.

The _P. trochilus_ is a resident throughout the entire year in Southern Europe and in Central Asia. That species builds at the foot of a bush on the ground, and constructs a domed nest with the entrance on one side. Their eggs are five in number, have a pinkish-white ground, and are spotted with well-defined blotches of reddish-brown, measuring 0.65 by 0.50 inch, and are of a rounded oval shape.

SUBFAMILY REGULINÆ.

CHAR. Wings longer than the emarginated tail. Tarsi booted, or without scutellar divisions.

This subfamily embraces but a single well-defined North American genus.

GENUS REGULUS, CUV.

_Regulus_, CUV. “Leçons d’Anat. Comp. 1799, 1800.” (Type _Motacilla regulus_, LINN.) _Reguloides_, BLYTH. 1847. (Type “_R. proregulus_, PALL.” GRAY.) _Phyllobasileus_, CAB. Mus. Hein. I, 1850, 33. (Type _Motacilla calendula_, LINN.)—_Corthylio_, CAB. Jour. Orn. I, 1853, 83. (Same type.)

[Line drawing: _Regulus satrapa._ 28784. ♂]

GEN. CHAR. Bill slender, much shorter than the head, depressed at base, but becoming rapidly compressed; moderately notched at tip. Culmen straight to near the tip, then gently curved. Commissure straight; gonys convex. Rictus well provided with bristles; nostril covered by a single bristly feather directed forwards (not distinct in _calendula_). Tarsi elongated, exceeding considerably the middle toe, and without scutellæ. Lateral toes about equal; hind toe with the claw, longer than the middle one by about half the claw. Claws all much curved. First primary about one third as long as the longest; second equal to fifth or sixth. Tail shorter than the wings, moderately forked, the feathers acuminate. Colors olive-green above, whitish beneath. Size very small.

We are unable to appreciate any such difference between the common North American _Reguli_ as to warrant Cabanis in establishing a separate genus for the _calendula_. The bristly feather over the nostril is perhaps less compact and close, but it exists in a rudimentary condition.

The following synopsis will serve as diagnoses of the species:—

Head with entire cap in adult plain olivaceous, with a concealed patch of crimson. _Hab._ Whole of North America; south to Guatemala; Greenland … _calendula._

Head with forehead and line over the eye white, bordered inside by black, and within this again is yellow, embracing an orange patch in the centre of the crown. _Hab._ Whole of North America … _satrapa._

Head with forehead and line through the eye black, bordered inside by whitish, and within this again by black, embracing an orange-red patch in the centre of the crown. _Hab._ Banks of Schuylkill River, Pennsylvania … _cuvieri._

Regulus satrapa, LICHT.

GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET.

_Regulus satrapa_, LICHT. Verz. 1823, no. 410.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—LORD (Vancouver Isl.).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1859, 227; Review, 65.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 212 (Orizaba).—BÆDEKER, Cab. Jour. IV, 33, pl. i, fig. 8 (eggs, from Labrador).—PR. MAX. Cab. Jour. 1858, 111.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. R. XII, II, 1859, 174 (winters in W. Territory).—LORD, R. Art. Inst. Wool. 1864, 114 (nest?).—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 476 (Texas, winter).—SAMUELS, 179.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 32. _Sylvia regulus_, WILS.; _Regulus cristatus_, VIEILL.; _R. tricolor_, NUTT., AUD. Figures: AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. cxxxii.—IB. Orn. Biog. II, pl. clxxxiii.—VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, pl. cvi.

SP. CHAR. Above olive-green, brightest on the outer edges of the wing; tail-feathers tinged with brownish-gray towards the head. Forehead, a line over the eye and a space beneath it, white. Exterior of the crown before and laterally black, embracing a central patch of orange-red, encircled by gamboge-yellow. A dusky space around the eye. Wing-coverts with two yellowish-white bands, the posterior covering a similar band on the quills, succeeded by a broad dusky one. Under parts dull whitish. Length under 4 inches; wing, 2.25; tail, 1.80. _Female_ without the orange-red central patch. Young birds without the colored crown.

HAB. North America generally. On the west coast, not recorded south of Fort Crook. Orizaba, SCLATER; W. Arizona, COUES.

Specimens of this bird from the far West are much brighter and more olivaceous above; the markings of the face are also somewhat different in showing less dusky about the eye. These may form a variety _olivaceus_.

The _Regulus cristatus_ of Europe, a close ally of our bird, is distinguished by having shorter wings and longer bill; the flame-color of the head is more extended, the black border is almost wanting anteriorly. The back and rump, too, are more yellow.

HABITS. The Golden-crested Kinglet, or Wren, as it is often called, occurs over nearly the whole of the North American continent. It is abundant from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and throughout the British Provinces, where it chiefly occurs in its breeding-season. In Massachusetts it is a winter resident from October until May. In Maine it is met with in spring and fall, chiefly as a migratory visitor; a few also remain, and probably breed, in the dense _Thuja_ swamps of that State. They are most abundant in April, and again in October. In the vicinity of Calais the Golden-crest is a common summer resident, and, without doubt, breeds there.

Dr. Woodhouse mentions finding this species in abundance in New Mexico and Texas, associated with Nuthatches and Titmice. Dr. Cooper found it abundant in Washington Territory, particularly in the winter, and ascertained positively that they breed there, by seeing them feeding their young near Puget Sound, in the month of August. According to Mr. Ridgway it is much less numerous in the Great Basin than the _R. calendula_.

The food of this lively and attractive little bird during the summer months is almost exclusively the smaller winged insects, which it industriously pursues amid the highest tree-tops of the forest. At other seasons its habits are more those of the titmice, necessity leading it to ransack the crevices of the bark on the trunks and larger limbs of the forest-trees. It is an expert fly-catcher, taking insects readily upon the wing.

But little is known with certainty regarding its breeding-habits, and its nest and eggs have not yet been described. The presumption, however, is that it builds a pensile nest, not unlike the European congener, and lays small eggs finely sprinkled with buff-colored dots on a white ground, and in size nearly corresponding with those of our common Humming-Bird. We must infer that it raises two broods in a season, from the fact that it spends so long a period, from April to October, in its summer abode, and still more because while Mr. Nuttall found them feeding their full-fledged young in May, on the Columbia, Dr. Cooper, in the same locality, and Mr. Audubon, in Labrador, observed them doing the same thing in the month of August.

According to the observations of Mr. J. K. Lord, this species is very common on Vancouver’s Island and along the entire boundary line separating Washington Territory from British Columbia, where he met with them at an altitude of six thousand feet. He states that they build a pensile nest suspended from the extreme end of a pine branch, and that they lay from five to seven eggs. These he does not describe.

Most writers speak of this Kinglet as having no song, its only note being a single chirp. But in this they are certainly greatly in error. Without having so loud or so powerful a note as the Ruby-crown (_R. calendula_), for its song will admit of no comparison with the wonderful vocal powers of that species, it yet has a quite distinctive and prolonged succession of pleasing notes, which I have heard it pour forth in the midst of the most inclement weather in February almost uninterruptedly, and for quite an interval.

Bischoff obtained a large number of this species at Kodiak, and also at Sitka, where it seemed to replace the Ruby-crown.

Regulus cuvieri, AUD.

CUVIER’S KINGLET.

_Regulus cuvieri_, AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1832, 288, pl. lv, etc.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1859, 228; Rev. Am. Birds, 66.

SP. CHAR. Size and general appearance probably that of _R. satrapa_. A black band on the forehead passing back, through and behind the eye, separated by a grayish band from another black band on the crown, which embraces in the centre of the crown an orange patch. Length, 4.25 inches; extent of wings, 6.

HAB. “Banks of Schuylkill River, Penn. June, 1812.” AUD.

This species continues to be unknown, except from the description of Mr. Audubon, as quoted above. It appears to differ mainly from _R. satrapa_ in having two black bands (not one) on the crown anteriorly, separated by a whitish one; the extreme forehead being black instead of white, as in _satrapa_. The specimen was killed in June, 1812, on the banks of the Schuylkill River, in Pennsylvania.

Regulus calendula, LICHT.

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET.

_Motacilla calendula_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 337. _Regulus calendula_, LICHT. Verz. 1823, no. 408.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 226; Rev. 66.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 202.—IB. 1858, 300 (mountains of Oaxaca).—IB. 1859, 362 (Xalapa).—IB. 1864, 172 (City of Mex.).—SAMUELS, 178.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 33.—IB. Ibis, I, 1859, 8 (Guatemala).—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. XII, II, 1859, 174.—REINHARDT, Ibis, 1861, 5 (Greenland).—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 475 (Texas, winter). _Corthylio calendula_, CAB. Jour. Orn. I, 1853, 83 (type of genus). _Regulus rubineus_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 49, pl. civ, cv. Other figures: WILS. Am. Orn. I, 1808, pl. v, fig. 3.—DOUGHTY, Cab. II, pl. vi.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxcv.—IB. Birds Am. II, pl. cxxxiii.

SP. CHAR. Above dark greenish-olive, passing into bright olive-green on the rump and outer edges of the wings and tail. The under parts are grayish-white tinged with pale olive-yellow, especially behind. A ring round the eye, two bands on the wing-coverts, and the exterior of the inner tertials white. _Male._ Crown with a large concealed patch of scarlet feathers, which are white at the base. Female and young without the red on the crown. Length, 4.50; wing, 2.33; tail, 1.85.

HAB. Greenland; whole of North America, and south to Guatemala. Oaxaca (high region, November), SCLATER. Xalapa and Guatemala, SCLATER.

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.