r.vnin.K- the titmice. 205 



They nest, like all tlie others of tliis genus, in holes in soft decayed tniiiks 

 and large limbs of trees a few feet from tlie ground. Tlieir eggs are nut as 

 yet known. 



Parus hudsonicus, Foest. 



HUDSON'S BAY CHICKADEE; BROWN-CAPPED CHICKADEE. 



Parvs hudsoniciis, Fou.sTEn, Philos. Trans. LXII, 1772, 383, 430. — AiU). drn. ISio". II 

 1834, 543, pi. cxciv. — Ib. Birds Am. II, 1841, 155, pi. c.x.wiii. — IJaiud, liiids N. 

 Am. 1858, 395 ; Review, 82. — Samuel.s, 185. — Dall & Bannister (Alaska). Parus 

 hudsonicus var. UUoralis, Bryant, Vv. Bost. Soc. N. H. IX. 1863, 368. 



Sr. Char. Above yellowish olivaceous-brown ; top of head jiurer brown, not very 

 dilTerent in tint. Chin and throat dark .sooty-brown. Sides of head white. Beneath 

 white ; sides and anal region light browni,«h-chcstuut. No whitish on wings or tail. 

 Tail nearly even, or slightly emarginate and rounded. Lateral feathers about .20 shortest. 

 Length about 5 inches; wing, 2.40 ; tail, 2.60. 



Had. Northern portions of North America, from Atlantic to Pacific. 



Specimens from the most northern localities appear larger than those from 

 ]\Iaine and Xova Scotia (P. lUtoralis, Ekyant), with proportionally longer 

 tails (3.00 inches, instead of 2.40). We can, however, detect no other 

 difference. 



The Parus sihirkus of Europe is very similar in coloration and characters 

 to the P. hudsonicus. The principal difference is seen in the cheeks, which 

 iu sibiricus are pure wliite, this color extending along tire entire side of the 

 neck, widening behind, and extending round towards the back. In hudsoni- 

 cus the cheeks behind the eyes and sides of the neck are ash-gray, the white 

 being confined to the region l)elow or near tlie eye. The smoky-gray of the 

 upper part of head and neck in sibiricus is in a stronger contrast with the 

 brighter rufescent-gray of the back, and is separated from it l:)y an obscure, 

 concealed, whitish dorsal half-c(3llar, represented in hudsonicus only by a dull 

 grayisji shade in the plumage. 



Habit.s. This interesting species, one of the liveliest and most animated 

 of its family, belongs to the northern and eastern sections of North America. 

 It is found in the eastern and northern portions of Maine, and probably also 

 in the northern parts of New York, Vermont, and New Ilampsliire. In the 

 heavily wooded mountain-valley of Errol, in the latter State, Mr. Maynard 

 met with tliis bird in the latter part of October, in company with the 

 common atricc/piilus. In the same month he also obtained two birds in 

 Albany, in the northwestern corner of Maine. A single specimen was 

 taken at Concord, Massachusetts, October 29, by Mr. William Brewster. 



Near Calais it is resident, but not common. It is more abundant in the 

 islands of the Bay of Fundy, where it takes tlie place, almost exclusively, 

 of the atricapilliis. The writer first met \\itii tliese lively little wood-sprites 

 14 





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