20 PAEID^ PAEUS ATRICAPILLUS. 



LOPHOPHANES INORNATUS, (Gamb.) Cass. 

 Plain-crested Titmouse. 



FnvHS wornatus, Game., Pr. Pbila. Acad, ii, 1845, 2Gb; ibid, iii, 1847, 154; Journ. Phila. 



Acad, i, 1847, 35, pi. 8. 

 Lophoplmncs inonmlm, Cass., 111. i, 1853, 19.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 386 : Rev. 1864, 78.— 



SCL., Cat. 186-2, 14.— Heekm., P. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, pt. vi, 42.— CouES, Pr. Phila. 



Acad. 1866, 79.— Coop., B. Ca'l. i, 1870, 42.— Aikex, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872, 195 



(Eastern Colorado). — Coues, Key, 1872, 80, fig. 22. 

 Sab. — Black Hills to the Pacific, aud southward iu the United States. 



This species, which was not observed by either of the expeditions, is 

 brought into the present connection by the researches of Mr. C. E. A.iken, 

 who found it a "common winter resident" in Eastern Colorado. I 

 found it to be an abundant species in Upper Arizona, where it is 

 apparently resident, though more frequently observed in winter. Its 

 habits are precisely the same as those of its Eastern congener. 



PAEUS ATRICAPILLUS, Linn. 



Black-capped Chickadee. 



Panis atricapillus, Linn., Syst. Nat. i, 1766, 341.— Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 1008.— Lath., 

 Ind. Orn. ii, 1790, 566.— Fokst., Philos. Trans. Ixii, 1772, 407.— Wxls., Am. Orn. 

 i, 1808, 134, pi. 8, f. 4.— Bp., Journ. Phila. Acad. 1825, 254 ; Syn. 1828, 100 ; List, 

 1838, 20.— Sw. & Rich., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 226.- Aud., Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, pi. 

 353, f. 3; Syn. 1839, 79 ; B. Am. ii, 1841, 146, pi. 126.— Cass., 111. 1853, 17.— Bd., 

 B. N. A. 1858, 390.— (?) Maxim., J. f. O. 1858, 119.— Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 

 68 (Indian Territory).- Allen, Mem. Bost. Soc. 1868, 493 (Iowa).— Tp.ippe, Pr. 

 Ess. Inst, vi, 1871,' 115 (Minnesota) ; Pr. Bost. Soc. sv, 1872, 236 (Iowa).— 

 McIlwr., Pr. Ess. lust, v, 1866, 88 (Canada West).— Allen, ibid, iv, 1864,69.— 

 Vekr., ibid, iii, 1862, 150 (Maine, breeds).— tBoap.dm., Pr. i3ost. Soc. ix, 1862, 

 126 (Maine, breeds).— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 261 (critical).— Ma yn., Pr. 

 Bost. Soc. xiv, 1871 (New Hampshire, breeding); B. Fla. 1872, 30. — Turn., B. 

 E. Pa. 1869, 21.— Ball & Bann., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 280 (Alaska).— Coues, 

 Key, 1872, 81, tig. 25.— Snow, B. Kans, 1873, 6. 



Poecile atricapiUus, Bp., Consp. Av. i, 1850, 230.— Cab., Mus. Hein. i, 1851, 91. — CouES, 

 Pr. Ess. Inst, vi, 1868, 279. 



Parns palustris, Nutt., Man. i, 1832, 79. 



Eab. — Eastern United States, rather northerly, and thence to Alaska. Replaced in 

 Southern United States (Maryland aud Illinois, southward) by var. carolinensis, and in 

 most of the Missouri region by var. scptoitrionalis. 



This form was not noticed by either Expedition. 



The typical Chickadee occupies but a limited area of the Missouri 

 region, being mostly replaced by the larger, more hoary, and longer- 

 tailed form. It is, however, quoted from Kansas, Western Iowa, and 

 Minnesota, as above. The var. carolinensis represents the opposite ex- 

 treme, characterized by its small size, little hoariuess, tendency to 

 greater extension of the black on the throat, and particularly by the 

 shortness of its tail, which is commonly less in length than the wing. 

 It is the common resident species as far north as Washington, D. C, 

 where Br. Prentiss and myself were probably mistaken in supposing 

 the true atricapiUm to occur. The Titmouse builds a nest of mosses 

 and various other soft vegetable substances, lining it with hair or feath- 

 ers ; it is snugly hidden in the hole of a tree. The eggs are numeroUvS — 

 five or six—white, with a delicate rosy blush when fresh, speckled all 

 over, but most thickly at the larger end, with reddish-brown. They 

 usually dig a hole for themselves, almost like woodpeckers, choosing a 

 decayed tree easily excavated after the bark is drilled through ; the 

 cavity is of large size, though with a small entrance. They also often 

 occupy knet-holes, which they find to suit their purposes, and simi- 

 lar retreats of various sorts. 



