IQ^ NORTH AMERIC.VN BIRDS. 



and the reddish-brown blotches with which tliey are profusely covered are 

 mucli more distinctly marked. Tliey are of a spheroidal oval in shape, 

 have a pure white ground, very uniformly and generally s])rinkled with 

 blotches of a reddish-brown. They measure .60 by .50 of an inch. 



Parus rufescens, Towns. 



CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE. 



Parus rii/esoiis, Towxsexd, J. A. N. Sc. I'liil. VII, ii, 1S37, 190. — Ai-n. o™. Biog. IV, 

 1838, 371, pi. cccliii. — 1b. Birds Am. 1841, 158, pi. c.v,\i.x. — liAiiib, lUnls X. Am. 

 1858, 394; Keview, S3. —Cooper & Scpkley, P. R. K. Rep. .\1I, ii, 1859, 194 

 (nesting). — Sclatkr, Catal. 1861, 14, no. 86. — Dall & Uannister (Alaska). — 

 Cooper, Birds Cal. I, 47. Paxile ru/cscois, Bon'ap. Consp. 1850, 230. 



Sp. Ciiak. Whole hoad and neck above, and throat from liill to vipjier part of breast, 

 sooty blat-kish-brown. Sides of head and neck. npi)er part of breast, and middle of body, 

 white; back and sides dark brownish-chestnut. Length, 470 inches; wing, 2.3G; tail, 

 2.1G. 



IIah. Western United Stales, near Pacific coast. 



Habits. The Chestnut-backed 'I'itninuse was first oblained by Townscnd 

 on the Ijanks of the Colundjia Itiver, and (h'scribed in tlie .Journal of the 

 rhUadelphia Academy. It is a resident, tlu-otighout the year, of llie forests 

 of the Columbia, and is found thi-inighout California. Like :dl of tlii.'* 

 familiar family, they may be seen in small ilocks, of all ages, in tlie autunni 

 and winter, moving briskly about, uttering a number of feeble querulous notes, 

 after the manner of the atrkapillm, but never joining in anything like the 

 (plaint and jingling song of that bird. They occasionally have a coni'u.sed 

 warbling chatter. These busy little groups may be often seen in company 

 with the Pcov'.s occidenfalis and the Jicf/ulun satrapa, moving through the 

 bushes and thickets, carefully collecting insects, their larva; and eggs, for a 

 few moments, and then Hying off for some other place. They are supposed 

 to rear their young in the midst of the denscist forests. 



Mr. Nuttall states that wlien tlu^ gun thins their raid^s the survivors dis- 

 play surjirising courage and soliritmle, following their destroyer with wailing 

 cries, entreating for their comi)anions. 



Dr. Gambel found the young of this .species in great abundance around 

 Monterey in the fall and winter months. Dr. Heermann saw them in June, 

 1852, feeding their young in the vicinity of San Francisco, \\here, however, 

 they are rare. 



In Washington Territory, Dr. Coo])er found this the most abundant sjiecies. 

 It jii'ei'erred the dense evergreens, where large parties could be i'oiuid at all 

 seasons busily seeking food among the leaves and branches, ascending even 

 to the highest tops. They were usually in company with the lieguli and 

 the other Titmice. ^Ir. Bischoff found them abundant at Sitka. 



