272 



SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — PASSERES — OSCIXES. 



British Columbia to Lower California, chiefly in alpine regions. Eggs 0.62 X 0.57, spotted 

 as usual in this genus, or not. P. montamis Gambel, of all former eds. of the Key, as of 

 most writers ; P. gamheli Ridgw., Man., 1887, p. 562; A. 0. U. Lists, No. 738. 

 P. rufes'cens. (Lat. rufescens, rufous, reddish.) Chestnut-backed Titmouse. ^ 9 , 

 adult: Crown and nape dark wood-brown, becoming sooty along sides, separated from the 

 sooty-black of throat by a large white area extending back on sides of neck. Entire back and 

 sides of body rich dark chestnut, contrasting strongly with the brown of head. Breast and 

 central line of under parts, with lining of wings, whitish. Wing- and tail-coverts more or less 

 washed with rusty-brown. Quills and tail-feathers scarcely or slightly edged with whitish. 

 Bill black ; feet dark ; iris brown. Young with throat brown, like crown, instead of sooty. 

 Length 4.75; extent, 7.50; wing 2.30; tail about 2.00. A strongly marked species, with 

 chestnut back and sides contrasting with dark brown cap and sooty throat. Pacific coast 

 region of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Southern Alaska, very abundant in 

 coniferous woods and shrubbery ; resident. Nest in hollow of a tree, 10-40 feet up, of moss, 

 hair, feathers, etc. ; eggs 6-8, 0.61 X 0.42, minutely speckled with reddish, rarely immaculate; 

 May, June. 



P. r. neglec'tus? (Lat. neglectiis, neglected, i. e., not chosen; nee, not, and lego, I gather, 

 choose.) Quite similar: crown, throat, and back the same, but sides not extensively chestnut, 

 being simply washed with rusty-brown. Coast region of California. 



P. hudson'icus. (Lat. hudsonicus, of Hudson's Bay; after Henry Hudson, the navigator. 

 Fig. 133.) HuDSONiAN Titmouse. <^ 9 , adult : Crown, nape, and upper parts generally clear 



hair-brown, or ashy-brown with 

 a slight olive shade ; coloration 

 quite the same on back and 

 crown, and not separated by any 

 whitish nuchal interval. Throat 

 quite black, in restricted area, not 

 extending backward on sides of 

 neck ; separated from the brown 

 crown by silky white on side of 

 head, this white not reaching 

 back of auriculars to sides of 

 nape. Sides, flanks, and under 

 tail-coverts washed with dull 

 chestnut or rusty-brown ; other 

 under parts whitish. Quills and 

 tail-feathers lead-color, as in other 

 Titmice, scarcely or slightly edged 

 with whitish. Little or no concealed white on rump. Bill black : feet dark. Size of P. 

 atricapillus, or rather less. Wing 2.50-2.60 ; tail rather less; tarsus 0.60. N. New England and 

 Great Lake region of the U. S., and British America generally ; common in coniferous woods. 

 P. h. ston'eyi. (To Lieut. Geo. M. Stoney, U. S. N.) Stoney's Titmouse. Kowak 

 Chickadee. Like P. hudsonicus ; grayer above ; sides of neck purer ashy-gray ; sides paler 

 rusty, and throat clear slaty-black instead of sooty-black. Size of P. hudsonicus ; wing 2.55- 

 2.75, averaging 2.62 ; tail 2.62 ; tarsus 0.62-0.70. Kowak River, N. W. Alaska. P. stoneyi, 

 RiDGW., Man., 1887, p. 591 ; P. hudsonicus stoneyi, A. O. U. List, 1st Suppl., 1889, p. 17; 

 Key, 4th ed., 1890, p. 897; A. 0. U. List, 2d ed., 1895, p. 309, No. 740a. 

 P. h. columbia'nus. (Lat., Columbian.) Rhoads' Titmouse. Columbian Chickadee. 

 Like P. hudsonicus, but presenting the opposite variation from that of P. h. stoneyi in general 

 darker coloration: throat jet black ; lores and frontal area sooty-black ; crown and neck slaty, 



'I"-'- 



Fio. 133. — Hudsonian Titmouse. 



