PARID^ — TIIK TITMICE. 107 



the iit'st of lliis heroic pair diil iKjt contain wiiat we sought, we left them, and 

 turned to look with equal ailniiration upon the indignant assenihly of feath- 

 ered remonstrants by which we were surrounded. The neighboring trees 

 swarmed with a variety of birds, several of whicli we had never before seen 

 in their summer homes. There were the IJed-Poll WarMer, llie Black and 

 Yellow Warbler, and many others, all earnestly and cloipicntly crying out 

 sliame \ipon our proceedings. 



Dr. Bryant, in his Xotes on the Birds of Yarnioutli, X. S., etc., mentions 

 finding quite a nundjer of this species ou Big Mud Island, near that place. 

 A pair of these birds with their young were seen by liim near Yarmouth on 

 the 3d of July. Their habits seemed to him identical with those of the 

 Black-Cap. The young -were fully grown and could fly with ease, yet their 

 parents were so solicitous about their safety that he could almost catch them 

 with his hand. Their notes appeared to him similar to those of our common 

 species, but sharper and more filing, and can be readily imitated by repeat- 

 ing, with one's front teeth shut together, the syllables tzee-dee-dee-dee. 



Mr. Audubon found a nest of this Titmouse in Labrador. It was built in a 

 decayed stump about three feet from the ground, was purse-shaped, eight 

 inches in depth, two in diameter, and its sides an inch thick. It was entirely 

 composed of the finest fur of various quadrupeds, chiefly of the northern 

 hare, and all so thickly and ingeniously matted throughout as to seem as if 

 felted l:iy the hand of man. It was wider at the bottom than at the top. 

 The birds vehemently assailed the party. 



Mr. Eoss, in notes communicated to the late jMr. Kennicott, mentions that 

 specimens of this species were shot at Fort Simpson, October 13, in com- 

 pany with P. M'ptentrioncdis, and others were afterwards seen towards the 

 mountains. The notes he describes as harsher than those of the scptentrio- 

 nalis. The Smithsonian museum contains specimens from Fort Yukon and 

 Great Slave Lake, besides the localities already referred to. Mr. Dall found 

 it the commonest Titmouse at Xulato, abundant in the winter, but not pres- 

 ent in the spring. 



The eggs of this species measure .56 by .47 of an inch, are of a rounded 

 oval shape, and with a white ground are somewhat sparingly marked with 

 a few reddish-brown spots. These are usually grouped in a ring around the 

 larger end. 



Genus PSALTRIPARUS, Bonap. 



Psallripants, BoNAP. Comptes Eendus, XXXI, 1850, 478. (Type, P. mclanolis.) 

 j^ijilkalismis, Cabaxis, Mu.seum Heineamim, 1851, 90. (Type, Panis eiijlhroccpltalus.) 

 Psaltria, Cassin, 111. N. Am. Birds, 1853, 19. 



Gen. Char. Size very small iiiul .homier. Bill very small, short, compressed, and 

 with its upper outline much curved for the terminal half. Upper mandible much deeper 

 than under. Tail lung, slender, much graduated; much longer than tiie wings; the 

 feathers very narrow. Tarsi considerably longer than the middle toe. No black on the 



