88 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



<n>^''h^, 



Lophophanes inornatus. 



than seventh ; second rather shorter than the secondaries. Tail nearly even, 

 the outer about .20 of an inch shorter than the longest. Upper parts 

 ash-color, with a tinge of olivaceous. Forehead dark sooty-brown. The 



feathers of the upper part of the head 

 and crest obscurely streaked with lighter 

 brown. Under parts of head and body, 

 sides of head, including auriculars, and a 

 narrow space above the eye, dirty yellow- 

 ish-white, tinged with brown ; purest on 

 the side of head, the white very distinct 

 in the loral region, and including the tuft 

 of bristly feathers over the nostrils, ex- 

 cepting the tips of those in contact with 

 the bill, which are blackish. The sides of the body and the under tail- 

 coverts are tinged with yellowish-brown. The quills and tail-feathers are 

 edged with the color of the back, without any whitish. Bill black. Feet 

 lead-color. 



Specimens from the West are larger, the colors all more strongly 

 marked. 



Habits. The Tufted Titmouse is a common and well-known species in 

 the .Southern States, from the seaboard to the Eocky Mountains. Its north- 

 ern limits are in Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Kansas. Farther north than 

 this its occurrence appears to be only occasional and accidental. The state- 

 ment of Mr. Audubon that they are found in the Nortliern States, even to 

 Nova Scotia, w^as evidently a mistake. They do not occur in Massachusetts, 

 nor, so far as I am aware, have they been met with in any part of New 

 England. 



They are abundant in Northern Georgia, where, according to the obser- 

 vations of Dr. Gerhardt, they are among the first birds to breed, having 

 fledglings fully grown as early as the first of May. Dr. Woodhouse found 

 them very common in the Indian Territory, but none of the other explor- 

 ing parties met with it farther west, where it is replaced by its kindred 

 species. 



It is perhaps the most abundant bird in Southern Illinois, where it is resi- 

 dent, being excessively numerous in winter, and in that season often a posi- 

 tive nuisance from their impertinent vehement scolding as they appear to 

 follow the Imnter in troops through the woods. In winter it is a constant 

 inhabitant of the door-yards and shrubbery, particularly fruit-trees in the 

 towns, wdiere it is associated with the Carolina Chickadee {Parus caroli- 

 nensis) and other winter birds, but exceeding them all in familiarity and 

 boldness. (Ridgway.) 



Mr. Nuttall, who never met with this bird north of Pennsylvania, found 

 it very common in the winter and spring in the Southern States, where it 

 displayed all the habits and uttered the usual notes of the family. In the 



