PARID.E — PSALTRIPARUS. 4 7 



Panis rufescens, Townsend. 



THE CHESTNTJT-BACKED TITMOTTSE. 



Pants rufescens, Towxsend, Juur. A. N. Sc. riiilii. VII. ii. 1837, 190. — Acdubox, Orn. 

 Biog. IV. 1838, 371 ; pi. 353. In. Birds Amer. II. 1841, 158; pi. 129. — Cassin, Illust. 

 I. 1853, 18. — B.\IRD, P. R. Rep. IX. Birds, 394. — Heekmann, X. vi. 42. — CoorER 

 ami SuCKi-EY, XII. iii. Zool. of W. T. 194. 



Sp. C'h.\u. Whdk' head and nock abo\'C, and throat from bill to upper part of breast, 

 sooty blackish-brown. Siiles of heail and neck, u])per part of breast, and middle of body, 



white ; back and sides dark Ifrownish-chestnut. Lenijth, 4. 75 ; extent, 7.50 ; wing, 2.40 ; 

 tail, 2.16. Iris brown ; bill black ; feet lead-color. 



Hah. Pacific Coast of the United States, to northern Rocky Mountains. 



This is the only species I have found near the coast of this State, and 

 only in the mountains as far south as Santa Cruz, wliere they are per- 

 manent residents, as they are towards the north. They resemble P. 

 occidcntalis closely in lialnts, but seem more partial to the evergreen 

 coniferous forests, and tlieir notes are more faint and lisping. They 

 are amusing and familiar little birds, very fond of each other's society. 

 Their eggs I have never found. 



'^on'^ 



Genus PSALTRIPARUS, Bonaparte. 



Psnltripnrus, Bonaparte, Coniptes Rendus, XXXI. 1850, 478. {Type, P. melanotis.) 

 Psalliia, Cassin, Illust. N. Amcr. Birds, 1853, 19. (Not of Tcniminck.) 



Gex. Char. Size very small and slender. Hill very small, short, compressed, and 

 witli its upper outline much curved for the terminal half. Upper mandible much deeper 

 than under. Tail long, slender, much graduated ; much longer than the wings ; the feath- 

 ers very narrow. Tarsi considerably longer than the middle toe. No black on the crown 

 or throat. 



