LAND BIRDS. 697 



The ordinary call-note of the Chickadee is well expressed by the syllables 

 composing its name, the song being commonly written chickadee-dee- 

 dee-clee, dee-dee-dee, the number of syllables being very variable. Occa- 

 sionally it utters a series of twittering or almost warbhng notes, but these 

 are seldom loud, and hardly long enough continued to constitute a song. A 

 more characteristic song, if it may be called such, is a clear, liquid, pene- 

 trating whistle, consisting of but two notes which suggest the syllables 

 pee-wee, the. second note being a tone or a half tone lower than the first. 

 This peculiar note is uttered more or less at all times of the year, but much 

 more often between January first and June first. It is often spoken of 

 as the "pewee call" of the Chickadee, and has been regarded by many 

 as its nesting song or the note pecuhar to the breeding season. As a matter 

 of fact it is uttered most freely and persistently on clear cold mornings in 

 earliest spring, in February and March, long before the birds have begun 

 preparing their nests, and so far as can be observed, before they have 

 even chosen their mates. This call is often mistaken by the beginner for 

 the note of the Phncbe or Pewee, and many observers have recorded the 

 arrival of the Pewee at northern stations earlj^ in March or even in February, 

 when in reality the note heard belonged to the Chickadee. 



Except during the nesting season Chickadees are almost always found 

 in little family parties of eight or ten, these occasionally uniting with 

 similar parties so that thirty or forty may be found scattered through 

 the woods within hearing of each other. With such a party are often 

 found one or two Downy Woodpeckers, a pair or two of White-breasted 

 Nuthatches, from two to six Golden-crowned Kinglets (particularly if there 

 are many evergreens in the vicinity) , and occasionally a Brown Creeper, a 

 Red-bellied Nuthatch and a Hairy Woodpecker. Such a troup of winter 

 birds roam leisurely through the woods and orchards in search of food, 

 prol)ably keeping together almost the entire day and undoubtedly deriving 

 much satisfaction from each other's company. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Adult: Entire upper surface of head, from bill to nape, black; sides of head and neck 

 white; chin and throat black; back, wings and tail clear gray or ash, the wings with an 

 indistinct whitish bar, and most of the wing and tail-feathers white-margined on tlie 

 outer web; breast and belly white or grayish-white, the sides more or less tinged with 

 brown or buff. Sexes alike, and no great difference between winter and summer plumages. 



Length 4.75 to 5.75 inches; wing 2.50 to 2.75; tail 2.50 to 2.70. 



314. Carolina Chickadee. Penthestes carolinensis carolinensis (And.). 



(736) 



Synonyms: Southern Chickadee. — Parus carolinensis, Aud., 1S.'54, and of most other 

 authors. — Parus atricapillus var. carolinensis, Coues, 187:^, and others. 



According to Ridgway this species may he readily distinguished from 

 the common Black-capped Chickadee "1)}' the moi'e solitl and extensive 

 bhick on the throat; by the absence of distinct white edgings on the wing 

 and tail-feathers, and by the tail being decidedly shorter than the wing. 



]3istribution. — Southeastern states, north to New Jersey, Illinois, and 

 west to Missoui'i. 



