12 ZOOLOGY. 



procured in Mexico, still is it an interesting bird to us from the fact of its having been pre- 

 viously found in Texas. Its food consists of berries and fruits when in season, or of insects or 

 their larva), and worms, which are collected among the trees or from the ground, on which it 

 spends much of its time. 



LOPHOPHANES ATRICEISTATUS, C a s s i n .—Black-crested Chicadee. 



Lophophanes atricristatus, Cassin, Illus. B. of Tex. and Cal. p. 13, pi. 3. — Bairu, Gen. Rep. IX, i'io, p. G9. 

 I'ariis alricrisltttus, Cassis, Proceed. Ac. N. Sc. Phil. vol. \', p. 103, pi. H. 



Sp. Ch. — Mule. — Front and cliin white ; under parts ashy white ; lighter from the belly to vent. Cheeks gray. Crest black. 

 Back slaty gray. Wings and tail brown, the latter formed of twelve feathers. Flanks and sides have a feruginous tinge. Bill 

 and legs black. Length five and a half inches. 



Female. — Slightly smaller than male. Crest brownish black. 



This bird, discovered in, and brought back from Texas by Dr. Woodhouse, while with Captain 

 Sitgreaves' expedition to the Zuui and Colorado rivers, was first observed by me near Fort 

 Clark, Texas, where it was quite an abundant species. It is active and sprightly in its move- 

 ments, searching with great assiduity for insects about the bark and branches of trees. While 

 thus employed it keeps up a- chattering note, varied with an occasional low plaintive whistle. 

 Its habits much resemble those of our common chicadee, {Parus atricapillus.) The sub-family 

 of the Parinae is found in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Their usual resort is in 

 the woods, and their habits, as above described, ceaselessly active, examining with care every 

 crack in the bark, the under part of each leaf, and throwing themselves into every possible 

 attitude while prosecuting their labors. They now and then vary their diet with grain, seeds, 

 nuts, and rarely meat ; sometimes, when urged by necessity, attacking and killing sickly birds 

 by fracturing their skulls. The nest, made of grasses, feathers, wool, and mosses, and often 

 containing from twelve to sixteen eggs, is generally built in the hollow of a tree, though some 

 species construct them of a pendulous form, while others build a simple oval nest in the forks 

 of two or more branches, having two holes for ingress or egress, or with a view to leave a con- 

 venient place for the projection of the long tail with which some of these species are adorned. 



PEUCAEA CASSINII, B a i r d . 



Plate IV, Fm. 2. 



Zonotrirliiii rassinii, WooDHousE, Pr. A. N. Sc. VL 1832, 60. 

 Pcuraeti cnssinii, Baiku, Gen. Rep. IX, 16.')8, 485. 



pp. Cii. — Upper i)art8 reddish brown ; the centre of the feathers of the back and head deep brown, their margins being bluish 

 gray, rriiimrifs and secondaries brownish, edged with dirty white. Flexure of wing, yellDW. Tail feathers, twelve in 

 number, brown, tipped with grayish brown ; the two outer and centre ones pale brown, the latter having a dark central line in 

 their entire length and numerous little transverse bars. A narrow grayish yellow line from base of mandible over the eye. 

 Throat and breast gray, with a short, sooty, narrow line from the base of lower mandible on each side. Breast and sides dirty 

 gray. Belly, vent, and crissum dirty yellowish gray, some of the feathers of the latter having dark, h)ngitudinal spots. Bill 

 horn color, darker above. Feet flesh color. Length five and three-fourth inches. 



My attention having been attracted by the sound of a new note while at Camanche Spring, 

 Texas, I found, after some observation, that it proceeded from this bird. Rising with a tremulous 

 motion of its wings some twenty feet or more, it descends again in the same manner to within 

 a few yards of the spot whence it started, accompanying its entire flight with a lengthened and 

 pleasing song. The country thereabouts is very barren, being covered with low stunted bushes, 

 into which the bird takes refuge on being alarmed, gliding rapidly through the grass and 



