394 BULLETirJ 191, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



the three-syllabled notes of the CaroHna v^ren or to tlie spirited whistles 

 of the cardinal, which one hears so frequently all through the southern 

 States. I have sometimes been puzzled, when hearing them for the 

 first time each season, but one soon learns to recognize them, for all 

 three are quite distinct. Being a rather noisy bird and rather somberly 

 colored, the tufted titmouse is generally heard before it is seen, tliough 

 it is not particularly shy. We may look for it vnth best success in the 

 deciduous woods. 



In Pennsylvania, near the northern liinit of its range, ac.cording to 

 Dr. Samuel S. Dickey (MS.), it is oftener found in beech timber, v/here 

 its coloration harmonizes and where it finds congenial openings in 

 trunks and branches for nesting purposes. "But it will inhabit a variety 

 of cover in modern times, and is found among oaks, tulip poplars, 

 yellow locusts, sycamore, and thicl^ets of mixed saplings, as v/ell as 

 orchards." 



In the Middle West and southward it frequents the river-bottom 

 forests in spring and summer but v/anders about at other seasons in 

 more open areas, among the shade trees and about houses in the 

 villages. In the Gulf States and Florida it is often found in the live 

 oaks, whicli shade the streets of villages and towns, but its favorite 

 haunts are the mixed hammocks and the smaller cj'press swamps that 

 are scattered through the flat pine vraods; it is seldom seen in these 

 flat woods outside of tliese little cypress heads. 



Courtship. — After v/andering about all through fall and v/inter in 

 small flocks by themselves, or mixed with other species, they begin 

 their courtship activities early in spring and prepare to separate into 

 pairs. Dr. Dickey (MS.) says that "males pursue and chase females 

 among branches and often end up in brush piles. They will glide 

 between avenues of trees along the courses of streams. Sometimes 

 pairs thus continue up the forest-clothed flanks of slopes and clifi's. 

 Males are combative, and are seen clasping and falling among vegeta- 

 tion. They will end up on the forest floor, there to part company 

 and to continue their advances to the female of their choic.e." 



Nesting. — A.s I have never been fortunate enough to find a nest of 

 the tufted titmouse, I must rely on the observations of others. Dr. Dickey 

 (]\IS.) writes to m.e, of the nesting habits in Pennsylvania and West 

 Virginia, as follows: 



"Naturally tufted tits breed inside cavities, mostly in tress. They 

 utilize both live and dead growth, often cavities that are surrounded 

 with hard resistant wood. A number like to breed in knot holes, slits 

 left where lightning has struck, and long weathered squirrel?' hol^. 



