PAPjn.E — THE TITMICE. IQl 



The eggs, usually five, occasionally eight, iu number, are of a rounded 

 oval sliajje, measuring .lil) by .51) of an im-ii. They have a pure iluU-white 

 ground, and the entire egg is very uniformly and pretty thickly covered 

 with fine markings and small blotches of red and reddish-brown iuter- 

 iniugied with a few dots of purplish. 



Parus atricapillus, \;n occidentalis, Baird. 



WESTERN CHICKADEE. 



Parus occiileiitrti is, B.vini), Binls X. Am. 1858, 391 (W. Territory) ; Review, 81. — Si-lateu, 

 Catal. 1861, 14, no. 82. — Elliht, lUust. 1, pi. viii. — Cooper, Birds Cal. I, l.i. 



Sp. Cu.\r. Tarsi lengtliened. Tail graduated; outer feather about .25 of an inuli shorter 

 than the middle. Above dark brownish-ash ; head and neck above and below black, sepa- 

 rated on the sides by white ; beneath hght, dirty, rusty yellowish-brown, scarcely whiter 

 along the middle of body. Tail and wings not quite so much edged with whitish as in P. 

 atricapillus. Length about 4.75 ; wing, 2.40 ; tail, 2.40. 



Hae. Northwest coast region of the United States. 



This race is of the same size as P. atricapillus, and resembles it in its 

 markings ; 'the ashy of the back is, howevei', washed with a darker shade 

 of yellowish-brown. The brown of the under parts is so much darker as to 

 cause the predominant color there to be a pale yellowish-brown, instead 

 of brownish-white. The fourth quill is longest ; the fifth and si.xth a little 

 shorter than the third ; the second is abciut as long as the secondaries. The 

 tail is rounded, rather nrore so than in most atricapillus, the difference iu the 

 lengths of the feathers anioanthig to about .25 of an inch. Tlie amount 

 of light margining to the quills and tail-feathers is much as in atricapillus, 

 but rather less, perhaps, on the tail. 



This seems to be the Pacific coast representative of the P. atricapillus, 

 as scptcntrionalis belongs to the middle region, corresponding in its differ- 

 ences with otlier Western representatives of Eastern species. 



Habits. Dr. Cooper, in his Birds of Washington Territory, says of 

 this variety: "The conuuou Black-capped Chickadee, so abundant in tlie 

 Eastern States, is, in Washington Territory, represented by the AVestern 

 Titmouse, frequenting the low thickets and trees, where it is always busily 

 employed seeking food." He observed its nest near Paget Sound, l)urrowed 

 in soft rotten wood. Dr. Suckley found it quite abundant in tlie valley of 

 the Willamette, and also at Fort Vancouver during winter. In habits it 

 closely resembles the Black-Cap of tlie Eastern States. 



It is chietly found in Oregon and Washington Territory, visiting the 

 northern part of California in winter, when it is also abundant near the 

 Columbia lUver. At this season it is generally found among the deciduous 

 trees along streams and oak groves, seeking its food among the branches. 

 It feeds on seeds and insects, and is very foud of fresh meat, fat, and crumbs 



