THE ‘DEAD MAN’S PRAIRIE.’ - 135 
feathers; after the nesting-time they assemble 
in large flocks, and feed in company with the 
Mountain Tit and the Golden-crested Wrens, 
then keep together until they take their. depar- 
ture south. | 
Mountains TirmovusE (Parus  montanus, 
Gambel).—This bird has just the same range 
and distribution as the preceding, and agrees 
with it in habit, periods of migration, and nesting 
time, but it is not nearly so plentiful. 
CHESTNUT-BACKED Titmouse (Parus rufescens, 
Townsend ).—This little fellow is very abundant 
on the Sumass prairies, and along the Fraser 
river, but rare between the Cascades and Rocky 
Mountains. I met with it at Colville, in company 
with a flock of Golden-crested Wrens, and once 
at Syniakwateen; hence I am disposed to think it 
is more common along the coast-line than in the 
intericr. It arrives in May, and leaves again in 
September. I never found its nest. The nor- 
thern range of these tits is about lat. 53° N., and 
south through Oregon and California. 
Least Tir (Psaltriparus minimus, Bonap.). 
—I saw this tiny tit but twice, at Sumass 
prairie and on the Nesqually plains, but had no 
opportunities to observe its habits. I expect it 
is more plentiful than one would imagine; its 
