THE c DEAD MAN'S PRAIRIE.' 135 



feathers; after the nesting-time they assemble 

 in large flocks, and feed in company with the 

 Mountain Tit and the Golden-crested Wrens, 

 then keep together until they take their depar- 

 ture south. 



MOUNTAIN TITMOUSE (Parus montanus, 

 Gambel). This bird has just the same range 

 and distribution as the preceding, and agrees 

 with it in habit, periods of migration, and nesting 

 time, but it is not nearly so plentiful. 



CHESTNUT-BACKED TITMOUSE (Parus ru/escens, 

 Townsend). This little fellow is very abundant 

 on the Sumass prairies, and along the Fraser 

 river, but rare between the Cascades and Rocky 

 Mountains. I met with it at Colville, in company 

 with a flock of Golden- crested Wrens, and once 

 at Syniakwateen ; hence I am disposed to think it 

 is more common along the coast-line than in the 

 interior. It arrives in May, and leaves again in 

 September. I never found its nest. The nor- 

 thern range of these tits is about lat. 53 N., and 

 south through Oregon and California. 



LEAST TIT (Psaltriparus minimus, Bonap.). 



I saw this tiny tit but twice, at Sumass 



prairie and on the Nesqually plains, but had no 

 opportunities to observe its habits. I expect it 

 is more plentiful than one would imagine; its 



