212 ZOOLOGY BIRDS. 



may, I think, be expected to occur in greater or less abundance throughout 

 the higher mountainous districts of Southern Arizona, extending up at least as 

 far as into the White Mountains. I met with the species at two points, near 

 Camp Apache, and again on Mount Graham, a point some two hundred 

 miles to the south. At the former place, several specimens were captured, 

 including the young in nesting plumage, thus indicating that they breed in the 

 vicinity. My note book contains the following : 



July i. While collecting in the early evening in the pine woods, a few 

 angry chirps coming from the thick foliage of a spruce attracted my atten- 

 tion, and in a moment a robin flew out in hot haste closely followed by a 

 small bird, which after a short chase returned, and with a few satisfied chirps 

 called together several young, whose presence I for the first time was thus 

 made aware of. The old bird immediately began to search for food, moving 

 like a Chickadee over the limbs, and flying out now and then for a short 

 distance to snap up an insect, which was instantly given to one or the 

 other of the several young that, with beseeching notes and cries, followed 

 the old one about as it moved from one part of the tree to another. Soon 

 perceiving that the birds were entire strangers to me, I shot first the old bird, 

 which proved to be a male, and then two of the young, when the female 

 appeared on the scene, arrd led away the two remaining members of the 

 brood in safety. The following day a careful search revealed but two more 

 individuals, both adult. 



Just a month later, on visiting Mount Graham, I not only saw the species 

 again, but it proved to be a common bird of this locality, flocks often or fifteen 

 not being unusual among the pines and spruces ; it frequented these trees 

 almost exclusively, only rarely being seen on the bushes that fringed the 

 streams. Its habits are a rather strange compound, now resembling those of 

 Warblers, again recalling the Eedstarts, but more often perhaps bringing to 

 mind the less graceful motions of the familiar Titmice. Their favorite hunting- 

 places appeared to be the extremities of the limbs of the spruces, over the 

 branches of which they passed with quick motion, and a peculiar and con- 

 stant sidewise jerk of the tail. 



When thus engaged, especially when high overhead, they might easily 

 be passed by, as a busy group of Titmice intent only on satisfying their 



