EASTERN VERDIN 427 



group. They ere less noisy, too; their notes, though Chickadee-like, being 

 weaker and fainter, and not infrequently one may, when watching one or two 

 of these birds, find himself surrounded by a large number, whicli have silently 

 closed in around while he was wholly unconscious of their presence. They are 

 strictly arboreal, sharing only to a slight degree the terrestrial habits which 

 are common to the other Titmice, especially of this genus. 



Mrs. Bailey (1928) says: "One that I watched hopped up the branches 

 of a tree quite in the manner of a jay climbing his tree ladder." 



Field marks. — The bridled titmouse is well marked and need not be 

 mistaken from anything else. Its chickadeelike behavior and voice are 

 obvious. Its pohited black crest distinguishes it from the white-cheeked 

 black-capped chickadees ; and the peculiar color pattern of its black and 

 white face distinguishes it from the other crested titmiqe, and from most 

 other birds as well. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — [Mexico, southern Arizona, and New Mexico ; not migratory. 

 The range of the bridled titmouse extends north to central Arizona 

 (Presc.ott and probably Fort Verde) ; southern New Mexico (Alma 

 and Pinos Altos) ; and Tamaulipas (Galindo). East to Tamaulipas 

 (Galindo) ; Puebla (Chachapa) ; and Oaxaca (La Parada). South to 

 Oaxaca (La Parada) and Morelos (Cuernavaca). West to Morelos 

 (Cuemavaca) ; Durango (Arroya del Buey and Cienaga de la Vacas) ; 

 western Chihuahua (Mina Abundancia) ; Sonora (Oposura, La Chimiata, 

 and San Rafael) ; and central Arizona (Baboquivari Mountains, Santa 

 Catalina Mountains, probably Sacaton, and Prescott). 



This species has been separated into two subspecies, the typical form 

 (Pariis zvolhveheri ivollwsberi) being confined to southern Mexico. The 

 race found in the United States and in Sonora and Chihuahua is known 

 as P. w. annexus. 



Egg dates. — Arizona: 21 records, April 19 to May 26; 11 records, 

 April 25 to May 17, indicating the height of the season. 



Texas: 6 records, March 13 to May 19. 



AUKIPAEUS FLAVICEPS OBNATU8 (Lawrence) 

 EASTERN VERDIN 



Plates 63, 64 



HABITS 



This little olive-gray bird, with a yellow head and chestnut shoulders, 

 is one of the characteristic birds of the southwestern desert regions. 

 I made its acquaintance in a dry' wash in southeastern Arizona, where 



