THE TITMICE AND NUTHATCHES. 79 



This subgenus scarcely differs from Parus except in the possession 

 of a well developed pointed crest. But one species occurs east of 

 the Eocky Mountains, except in Texas, where a Mexican species, 

 P. atricristatus is found. In Western Texas to Arizona occurs 

 another Mexican species, P. wollweberi, while in California and other 

 parts of the Western Province P. inornatus is found. 



Parus bicolor Linn. 



TUFTED TITMOUSE. 



Popular synonym, Black-fronted Titmouse. 



Parus bicolor LINN. S. N. ed. 12, i, 1766, 340. WILS. Am. Orn. 1. 1808, 137, pi. 8. fig. 5. 



AUD. Orn. Biog. i, 1831, 199, pi. 39; Synop. 1839, 78; B. Am. ii. 1841, 143, pi. 125.-NUTT. 



Man. i, 1832, 236. 

 Lopliophanes bicolor BONAP. Consp. i, 1850, 228. BATED, B. N. Am. 1858, 384; Cat. N. Am. 



B. 1859. No. 285; Review. 1864, 78. COUES, Key, 1872, 80; Check List. 1873. No. 27; 



2d ed. 1S82, No. 40; B. N. W. 1874. 19: B. Col. Val. 1878, 113. B. B. & B., Hist. N. Am. B. 



i. 1874, 87, pi. 6, fig. 1. RIDGW, Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 36. 



HAB. Eastern United States, west to Nebraska and eastern Texas, north to the Con- 

 necticut Valley; resident and breeding throughout. 



"Sp. CHAR. Above ashy; a black frontal band. Beneath dull whitish; sides brownish 

 chestnut, of more or less intensity. Feathers of the crown elongated into a flattened crest, 

 which extends back as far as the occiput. Bill conical; lower edge of upper mandible 

 nearly straight at the base. Fourth and fifth Quills equal; third a little shorter than seventh: 

 second rather shorter than the secondaries. Tail nearly even, the outer feather about 

 .20 of an inch shorter than the longest. Upper parts ash-color, with a tinge of olivaceous. 

 Forehead dark sooty-brown. The feathers of the upper part of the head and crest ob- 

 scurely streaked with lighter brown. Under parts of head and body, sides of head, in- 

 cluding auriculars, and a narrow space above the eye, dirty yellowish white, tinged with 

 brown; purest on the side of head, the white very distinct in the loral region, and includ- 

 ing the tuft of bristly feathers over the nostrils, excepting the tips of those in contact 

 with the bill, which are blackish. The sides of the body and the under tail-coverts are 

 tinged with yellowish brown. The quills and tail feathers are edged with the color of 

 the back, without any whitish. Bill black. Feet lead-color." (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



Length, about 6.25 inches; extent, 9.25; wing, 3.05 3.45. 



Perhaps no bird is more abundant in wooded districts of 

 the southern half of the State, than this species ; and this ap- 

 plies equally to all parts of the year. Pioving in restless noisy 

 troops through the woods, scolding at every intruder and calling to 

 one another in harsh tones, they are often, on this account, very 

 annoying to the collector or the hunter. During winter they become 

 very familiar, approaching with confidence the immediate vicinity 

 of dwellings (which, indeed, they seem inclined to shun only during 

 the breeding season), and, in company with Snowbirds (Junco ////- 

 emails), Carolina Chickadees, Nuthatches (Sitta ca/rolinensis), Blue- 

 jays, and other familiar species, glean their portion from the refuse 



