BIRDS — PAKIDAE — PARUS SEPTENTRIONALIS. 389 



PARUS SEPTENTRIONALIS, Harris. 

 Iioug-tailed Chickadee. 



Parus septentrionalis, Harris, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phila. II, 1845, 300. (Upper Missouri.) — Cassin, Illust. I, i, 1853, 

 17.— 1b. I, III, 1852, 80; pi. xiv. 



Sp. Ch. — Length, about 5.50 inches ; wing, 2.70 ; tail, about 3 inches. Head above and below black, separated by white on 

 the sides of the head , back brownish ash. Beneath white, tinged with pale brownish white on the sides. Outer tail feathers, 

 primaries, and secondaries broadly edged with white, involving nearly the whole outer web of outer tail feather. Tail much 

 graduated ; the outer feather about .30 of an inch shorter than the middle. Second quill about as long as the secondaries. 



Hah, — Missouri river to the Rocky mountains. 



This species is similar in general characters to the P. atricapillus, but is considerably larger, 

 with proportionately longer tail. The fifth and sixth quills are equal, the fourth scarcely 

 shorter, the third about equal to the seventh, the second about the length of the secondaries. 

 The tail is long, considerably rounded ; the outer abruptly shorter than the second. The 

 greatest difference in the length of the tail feathers is .30 of an inch ; in some specimens almost 

 half an inch. The difference between primaries and secondaries amounts to .41 of an inch. 



The top of the head and nape, with the chin and throat, are black ; the space between the 

 two white. The middle of breast and belly are dirty white. The sides strongly tinged with 

 yellowish brown, as are also the under tail coverts. The upper parts, except as described, are 

 grayish ash, washed with yellowish brown, especially on the rump. The third to the seventh 

 primaries and the inner secondaries are edged with ashy white ; the latter conspicuously so. 

 The outer webs of the outer three tail feathers edged with whitish, almost white on the first 

 one, where the line of demarkation is quite distinct. All the tail feathers, indeed, have more 

 or less of a light edging, which on the outermost edge of the inner is plumbeous. 



In a considerable series of specimens before me of this species, all agreeing very nearly in 

 size, there is one (6776) from New Mexico possessing all the characteristics of the species in 

 an exaggerated degree, even more so than Mr. Harris' typical specimen. It is larger ; the tail 

 more graduated ; the upper parts are more yellowish ; the black of head and neck is less exten- 

 sive. The white margins of the primaries and secondaries are very conspicuous, and the entire 

 outer web of the exterior tail feather is white, except towards the base. 



This species is very similar to the P. atricapillus, but differs from it somewhat as alricapillus 

 does from carolinensis. Its size is much greater ; the tail proportionately longer, and much 

 more graduated ; the white of wing and tail purer and more extended. The bill appears to be 

 stouter and more conical. The back has, perhaps, a little more yellowish. The spurious or 

 first primary is larger. 



A specimen from Fort Massachusetts (8493) agrees in general characteristics of form, but 

 differs in having a sooty tinge in all the white parts, above and below. This is analogous to 

 conditions frequently seen in other species, and may be either an actual tendency to melanism, 

 or the result of actual soiling of the feathers with the carbonaceous matter of burnt trees, or 

 from other causes. 



