CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICK.\DEE 391 



there is little doubt that the majority of the birds spend the summer in 

 the more elevated districts, judged from the numbers that come from 

 such in fall." 



Winter. — The chestnut-backed chiclcadce is a permanent resident 

 throughout its range. Alfred Pvl. Bailey (1927) says that "they are to be 

 noted the year around, throughout the whole of southeastern Alaska," 

 where "they are probably the most numerous of the winter birds. * * "= 

 These cheery little creatures are often the only signs of bird life to be 

 seen in the winter woods, and their quiet, comrade-like call, as they 

 drift from one tree to another, can often be heard when the birds are 

 obscured by the falling snow." 



DISTRIBUTION 



Rarigc. — Pacific coast region from Prince William Sound, Alaska, 

 south to southeni California and east to western Montana; not migra- 

 tory. The range of this species extends north to Alaska (Resurrection 

 Bay, Glacier, and Skagw^ay) ; and northern British Columbia (Flood 

 Glacier). East to British Columbia (Flood Glacier, Blackwater Lake, 

 and Kootenay) ; western Montana (probably Glacier National Park, 

 Clark Fork, and Fort Sherman) ; northeastern Oregon (Blue Moun- 

 tains and Po\\'der River Mountains) ; and California (Mount Shasta. 

 McClnud, Hay ward, and Cambria). South to southern California 

 (Cambria). The western limits extend northward along the coast from 

 southern California (Cambria) to the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska (Resur- 

 rection Bay). 



As outlined the range is for the entire species, of which three sub- 

 species are recognized. The t3^pical fonn (Parus nifescens rufescens), 

 occupies all of the range south to central California ; tlie Nicasio 

 chickadee (P. r. neglectiis) is confined to coastal areas of Marin County. 

 Calif. ; and Barlow's chickadee (P. r. barlozvi) is found on the coast of 

 California in the general area between San Francisco Bay and Monterey 

 Bay. 



Egg dates. — Califomia: 58 records, March 12 to June 7; 30 records, 

 April 23 to May 16, indicating the height of the season. 



Washington: 30 records, April 7 to June 10; 16 records. May 9 to 24. 



PARUS RUFE-SCEMS NEGLECTUS Ridgway 

 NICASIO CHICKADEE 



In a short and narrow coastal region of middle California, the humid 

 Transition Zone of Marin County, there lives a subspecies of the chest- 

 nut-backed chic>radees that seems to be strictly intermediate in colora- 



