394 



U, S, p. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



PARUS MONTANUS, Gambel. 



Parus montanvs, Gambel, Pr. A. N. Sc. I, April, 1843, 259, (Santa Fe.)— Ib. Pr. A. N. Sc. Ill, Feb. 1847, 

 155.— Ib. Jour. A. N. Sc. 2d series, I, Dec. 1847,35; pi. viii, f. 1.— Cassin, Illust. I, 1853,18. 



Sp. Ch. — Head and neck above, with under part of head and throat, glossy black ; forehead, line above the eye and one 

 below it, involving llie auriculars, white. These stripes embracing between them a black line through the eye and confluent 

 with the black of the head. Above ashy ; beneath similar, but paler ; the upper part of breast and middle line of belly while. 

 Length about 5 inches ; wing, 2. GO ; tail, 2.40. 



Hub. — Pacific coast of United Slates, probably to the Rocky mountains. 



In this species the tail is nearly square ; the outer feather a very little shorter. The fourth, 

 fifth, and sixth quills are equal ; the third less than the seventh ; the second rather shorter 

 than the secondaries. The whole side of the head from the hill is whitish ; this color margins 

 the black of the neck all the way to its extremity on the upper part of the back, where it is 

 duller. A black line commences within the white just anterior to the eye, in a line below with 

 the lower eyelid and above a little above the upper lid. The quills and tail feathers are 

 margined paler, but there is no white, especially on the secondaries. 



This species ma}' be very readily distinguished from P. atricapillus by the white front and 

 the white line over the eye cutting oif a black one through it. The general colors above are 

 purer ash ; below the sides are ashy instead of yellowish brown white. The white on the head 

 has rather a bluish tinge. 



A specimen, apparently of this species, from Medicine Bow creek, (5643,) though marked 

 female, is larger than those from California, as shown by the measurements. I can detect no 

 other difference, except that the black on the neck appears more restricted. A female from 

 Fort Tejon lacks the whitish of the forehead, the black of the crown coming down to the bill. 



List of specimens. 



PARUS RUFESCENS, Towns. 



Chestunt-backed Tit. 



Parus rufescens, Townsend, J. A. N. Sc. Phil. VII, ii, 1837, 190.— Adddbon, Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 371 -, pi. 



353.— Ib. Birds Am. II, 1841, 158 ; pi. 139.- Cassin, Illust. I, 1853, 18. 

 Poeeila rufescens, Bon. Consp. 1850, 230. 



Sp. Ch. — Whole head and neck above, and throat from bill to upper part of breast, sooty blackish brown. Sides of head 

 and neck, upper part of breast, and middle of body, white ; back and sides dark brownish chestnut. Length, 4.75 inches; 

 wing, 2.36; tail, 2.1C. 



Hab. — Pacific coast of the United States. 



