266 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —FASSERES— OSCINES. 



Fig. 138. — Black-capped Chickadee, 

 reduced. (Adnat. del. E. C.) 



parts mcire or less purely wliitc or whitish, shaded on the sides with a brownish or rusty wash. 

 Wings aud tail like upper parts, the feathers moderately edged with hoary-white. Average 

 dimensions : length 5.25 ; extent 8.00 ; wing and tail, 

 each, 2. 50; tarsus 0.70. Extremes: length 4.75-5.50; 

 extent 7.50-8.50; wing aud tail 2.35-2.(55; tarsus 0.05- 

 0.75. Eastern N. Am., from the Middle States northward, 

 very abundant, well-known by its familiar liabits and pecu- 

 liar notes. Nest in holes of trees, stumps, or fences, natural 

 or excavated by the bird, made of grasses, mosses, hair, fur, 

 feathers, etc. ; eggs 6-8, 0.58 X 0.47, white, fully sprinkled 

 with reddisli -brown dots and spots. 



45. P. a. septeutriona'lis. (Lat. septentrionalis, northern ; 

 septentriones, the constellation of seven stars, the dipper, j 

 Long-tailed Chickadee. Similar to P. atricapillus; 

 averaging larger, and especially longer-tailed, the tail 

 rather exceeding the wing in length. Coloration clear and 

 pure; wings and tail very strongly edged, especially on 

 the secondaries and outer tail-feathers, with hoary-white, 

 which usually passes entirely around their tips. Cap pure 

 black and very extensive on the nape ; black of thrf)at 

 reaching breast ; sides of head and neck snowy-white. 

 Bill and feet dark plumbeous. Average dimensions about 

 the maxima of P. atricapillus: length 5.25-5.50; extent 

 8.50; wing 2.5U-2.75 ; tail 2.60-2.80, sometimes 3.00. Tliis style reaches its extreme devel- 

 opment in the region of the Upper Missouri and Rocky Mts., there apparently to the exclusion 

 of P. atricapillus proper. 



46. P. a. occidenta'lis. (Lat. occidentalis, western; occido, I fall; i. e., where the sun sets.j 

 Western Chickadee. Similar to P. atricapillus; of the same average size; preseuting 

 the opposite extreme from P. septentrionalis in minimum edging of wing- and tail-feathers 

 with hoary, heavy brownish wash of sides, and general dark sordid coloration. U. S-, Pacific 

 coast region. 



47. P. carolinen'sis. (Lat. of Carolina.) Carolina Chickadee. Averaging smaller than P. 

 atricapillus, with relatively as well as absolutely shorter tail, which is rather shorter than the 

 wings ; wings and tail very little edged with whitish. Average dimensions about at the minima f)f 

 P. atricapillus. Length about 4.50 ; wing 2.50 ; tail 2.25. South Atlantic and Gulf States ; 

 N. to Washington and Southern Illinois. Nesting like P. atricapillus; eggs similar, rather 

 smaller. 



879. P. meridiona'lis. (Lat. meridionalis, southern.) Mexican Chickadee. Differs decidedly 

 from p. atricapillus in having the under parts merely a paler shade of the ashy of the upper, 

 instead of white, without any brownish wash on sides; wing-coverts nnd tail Lu'ldnu; any 

 hoary edging, though the wing-quills have a slight grayish- 

 white edging. Thus quite like P. montanus in color, but no 

 white superciliary stripe. Length 4.80-5.20; extent 8.00- 

 8.70; wing 2.67-2.90 ; tail 2.40-2.67. Mexico, recently ascer- 

 tained to occur in Arizona. (Numbered among addenda in 

 the Check List, 1882.) 



48. P. monta'nus. (Lat. montanus, of mountains. Fig. 139.) 

 Mountain Chickadee. Upper parts ashy-gray, with scarcely 

 a shade, and only on the rump, of the ochraceous seen in most 

 other species ; under parts similarly grayish-white, without a rusty tinge, the middle of the 



Fig. 139. —Mountain Cliickadee, 

 nat. size. (Ad nat. del. E. C.) 



