PARUS. 5G1 



south to Gulf const (inehidinjf Florida ami eastern and 



central Texas).. 731. P. bicolor (Li.n.v.). Tufted Titmouse. 



e'. Paler, with forehead chestnut, light rusty hrovvn, or smoky 



brown. Hab. Southeastern Texas (Bee and Ikxar Counties). 



731<7. B. bicolor texensis Sennett. 



Texan Tufted Titmouse.' 



d}. Forehead white or brownish (except along middle line); crest 



black, or dark brown (dull blackish or dusky brownish, tinged 



with gray, in young^ ; length about 5.00-6.00. 



e'. Smaller, with forehead white or pale smokj- brown, crest and 



entire crown deep black in adult ; gray of u]iper parts more 



tinged with olive; wing 2.70-3.05, tail 2.50-2.90. Eggs .74 



X -SB. Hah. Eastern Mexico, north to south-central Texas. 



732. P. atricristatus Cass. Black-crested Titmouse. 



e'. Larger, with crest duller black, usuallj- more or less mixed with 



gray and passing into uniform gra}^ anteriorly, the forehead 



usually strongly tinged with rusty brown (sometimes almost 



chestnut) ; wing 2.95-3.12, tail 2.95-3.00. Hah. Southeastern 



Texas (Bee and Bexar Counties) — . P. atricristatus 



castaneifrons Sennett. Chestnut-fronted Titmouse.' 

 i'. Top of head entirelj' graj- or grayish brown ; flanks grayish or olive-gray- 

 ish, without rusty tinge. 



d}. Lower parts whitish (the belly quite white), in marked contrast 

 with color of upper parts, 

 e'. Above brownish ; bill horn-graj-ish or plumbeous ; length 

 about 5.00-5.60, wing 2.68-2.90 (2.77), tail 2.20-2.60 (2.40), 

 culmen .38-.40 (.40), tarsus .80-.S8 (.83). Eggs .68 X -52, 

 plain white. Hab. Pacific coast of United Slates from 

 southern California to Oregon. 



733. P. inornatus Game. Plain Titmouse, 

 e'. Above ash-gray ; bill black ; length about 5.25-5.75, wing 2.80, 

 tail 2.40-2.55. culmen .38-.45, tarsus .75-.80. Hab. South- 

 ern portion of Lower California. 

 733/^. P. inornatus cineraceus PvIdow. Ashy Titmouse. 

 d}. Lower parts light graj-ish, not strongly contrasted with brown- 

 ish gray of upper parts; length about 5.75-6.10, wing 2.80- 



' Panu bicolor lexeiuii Sessf.tT, Auk, iv. Jan. 18S7, 29. (Sco foot-noto under P. alricnitatu» catlnnei- 

 /fon^.) 



' Piirni alrieritlntiiM cn«*an»j/ro»« Skusett, Auk, iv. Jan. 1887, 28. 



Havinf; ciamincl four specinicns of this form, including the type?. I am not satisfied a-s to its validity as 

 a permanent f')rTn or 8ub?pccic3. There is lacking that (lofinitc geographical area so e!>j»cntial to the e.xi8tence 

 iif a geographical race in a non-migratory species; and, its pcculiaritici! being much the same as tho.«o chamc- 

 tcrizing the P. bicolor Itrentin of the same district, the probability of hybridism between P. bicolor and 

 /'. nirirrininlnn is very strongly suggeste<l. In fact, no two specimens of either form are alike, in the scries 

 now before me, with which it is almost possible to make a series connecting the two species. 



71 



