322 BULLETIN 191, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



was killed near Hayward on February 16, 1923. One was taken at 

 Coachella, Calif., 44 feet below sea level on September 24, 1935. 



There are several records for the Great Plains region east to Mani- 

 toba, Margaret, October 1910; Iowa, Boone, September 23, 1894; 

 Wisconsin, Milwaukee, fall of 1875 ; Illinois, Gross Point, October 9, 

 1894; Missouri, near Kansas City, about October 28, 1894, and Louis- 

 iana, October 12, 1907; and Arkansas, Earl, April 1, 1891. 



Egg dates. — British Columbia: 11 records, March 9 to May 25. 



California: 32 records, March 7 to April 21 ; 16 records, March 24 to 

 April 13. 



Colorado: 8 records, March 5 to April 16. 



Utah: 6 records, March 23 to April 25. 



Family PARIDAE: Titmice, Verdins, and Bushtits 



PARUS ATRICAPILLUS ATRICAPILLUS Linnaeus 



BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE 



Plates 50, 51 



Contributed by Winsor Marrett Tyler 



HABITS 



The titmice, the family of birds to which the black-capped chickadee 

 belongs, are widely distributed in the two hemispheres and in North 

 America are represented by numerous genera, species, and races from 

 the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. Over this vast area, in England, on 

 the continent of Europe, and with us they are well known and very 

 popular birds. 



For our black-capped chickadee of the Northeastern United States 

 our regard goes far beyond popularity. The chickadee is perhaps the 

 best-known bird in its range and appears so trustful of man that we 

 look on it with real affection. And no wonder — for chickadees are such 

 cheerful little birds. When we watch a flock of them in winter they 

 remind us of a group of happy, innocent little children playing in the 

 snow. Thinking back to the early days of New England's history, we 

 can imagine that the Pilgrim Fathers, when the chickadees came about 

 the settlement at Plymouth in 1620, watched them as we do now. They 

 were, perhaps, the first friends to welcome the travelers to the New 

 World. 



Many writers praise the chickadee. Bradford Torrey (1889) says 

 enthusiastically : "It would be a breach of good manners, an inexcusable 



