Titmice WESTERN BIRDS 



GENUS B^OLOPHUS. 

 FAMILY— PARIDiE: TITMICE. 



The Titmice are so closely allied to the Nuthatches 

 that formerly they were listed together in one family. 

 Though similar in some of their habits, in form they 

 are quite different, the Tits having short, curved bills, 

 wings and tail about equal in length, and rounded, and 

 the plumage loose. They are small birds of wooded 

 countries and forage about in large flocks, destroying 

 vast numbers of small noxious insects. In most parts of 

 their range they are residents, having little fear of any 

 but the coldest weather. 



Part of them, like the Nuthatches, nest in holes, while 

 others build the most wonderful hanging nests. 



Only fifteen species of the known two hundred and 

 forty-one are dwellers of North America, seven of which 

 occupy some portion of the United States. 



GENUS B.^OLOPHUS : PLAIN TIT- 

 MOUSE. 



Plain Titmouse: Bceolophus inornatus inornatus. 

 FAMILY— TITMICE. 



In California west of the Sierra Nevada, breeding 

 from Mendocino and Siskiyou counties to northern 

 Lower California, lives one of those interesting midgets, 

 which is known as the Plain Titmouse. 



The crest and upper parts of this bird are a brown 



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