22 PARID^ ^PARUS MONT ANUS, PARUS RUFESCENS. 



PAR US MONTANUS, Gamb. 

 Mountaiu Chickadee; Whlte-browed (ihickadee. 



Farus montamis, Gamb., Pr. Phila. Acad, i, 1843, 2.59 ; 1847, 1.55; Journ. i, 1847, 35, pi. 8, 

 f. 1.— Cass., 111. i, 1853, 18.— Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 68 (San Fraucisco Mts., 

 breeding).— Newb., P. R. R. Rep. vi, 1857, 79.— Hkekm., ibid, x, pt. vi, 1859, 

 42.— Bd., B. N. a. 1858, 394.— Coop. & Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 194.— 

 Bd., Rev. 1864, 82.— Coop., Am. Nat. iii, 1869, 75 (Montana); B. Cal. 1870. 

 46.— Stev., U. S. Geol. Suiv. Ter. 1870, 464.— Mei:i!., ihid. 1872, 672.— Allen, 

 Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 174 (Colorado).— Aiken, Pr. Bost. Soc. xv, 1872, 195 

 (Colorado).— CouES, Key, 1872, 81. 



PocciU montanus, Coues, Pr. Pliila. Acad. 1866, 79 (Arizona). 



Not obtained by either of the earlier Expeditions. 



Later Expeditions. — 60695, Uintah Mountains ; 62349-52, Idaho and Wyoming. 



Readily distinguished among its allies by the white superciliary 

 stripe. It is a common and generally distributed inhabitant of the 

 higher lauds of the two western United States Provinces. Its habits 

 are exactly like those of the common Chickadee. Mr. Aiken saw it in 

 flocks occasionally through the winter, remarking that it frequents the 

 sbrubbery of the mountain sides, but is not found on the lowlands. 

 Mr. Allen observed it at intervals throughout the mountains of Colorado, 

 from about 8,000 feet up to the timber line, but much less numerously 

 than the common species. Mr. Merriam remarks: "Teton Caiion was 

 the first place where we observed this species, probably because it was 

 the first where we found coniferous trees. It is also an abundant species 

 in the Fire-hole Basin, and from the sources of Snake River to where it 

 leaves the wooded mountainsides." I found the bird common in various 

 coniferous mountainous tracts in New Mexico and Arizona, where it is 

 resident. Habits not peculiar ; egg not seen. 



PARUS RUFESCENS, Towns. 

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee. 



Farus rufescens, Towns., Journ. Phila. Acad. 1837, 190. — AuD., Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, 371, 

 pi. 353.— AuD., Svn. 1839, 80.— Aud., B. Am. ii, 1841, 158, pi. 129. -Cass., B. Cal. 

 & Tex. 1853, 18.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 394.— Heeem., P. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, pt. 

 vi, 42.— Coop. & Suck., Nat. Hist. Wash. Ter. 1860, 194.— Bd.. Rev. 1864, 83.— 

 Dall & Bann., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 280 (Sitka).— Coop., Am. Nat. iii, 

 1869, 75 (Montana).- Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 47.— Coues, Key, 1872, 81. 



Facile rufescens, Bp., Consp. Av. i, 1850, 230. 



Hal). — Especially Cascade and Coast ranges to the Pacific, from Sitka to Santa Cruz, 

 but also extending to the Rocky Mountains (^Cooper). (In Northern Alaska F. hudsonicua 

 in found instead.) 



The centre of abundance of this species appears to be in Washington 

 Territory, where Drs. Cooper aud Suckley found it extremely common, 

 in coniferous and other evergreen forests, and resident. It is stated to 

 breed in holes in decayed trunks, and its habits, as described, are the 

 same as those of its congeners. I have never seen it alive, nor was it 

 met with by either expedition ; but Dr. Cooper has extended its previ- 

 ously recorded range to Montana. 



