90 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



spring. The eggs of this bird have a length of .75 of an inch and a breadth 

 of .56. They are of a rounded oval in shape, and are thickly sprinkled 

 with fine rust-colored dots, intermingled with a few larger markings of lilac, 

 on a white ground. 



Lophophanes atricristatus, Cassix. 



BLACK-TUFTED TITMOUSE; TEXAS TITMOUSE. 



Parus atricristatus, Cassin, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phil. V, 1850, 103, pi. ii (Texas). Lophophanes 

 atricristatus, Cassin, 111. Birds Texas, etc. I, 1853, 13, pi. iii. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 

 1858, 385 ; Review, 78. — Coopeh, Birds Cal. I, 43. 



Sp. Char. Crest very longand pointed (1.25 inches). Above ash-colored, A broad 

 band on the forehead dirty white, rest of head above, with crest, black, tinged with ash 

 on the sides. Color of the back shading insensibly into the doll ashy-white of the under 

 parts. Sides of body pale brownish-chestnut. Female with the crest duller black. Iris 

 dark brown. Length, about 5.25 inches ; wing, 3.00. 



Hab. Valley of Rio Grande, south, into Mexico. San Antonio. Texas. Vera Cruz, 

 Sclater. 



This species is not rare in Texas, where it has been noticed as far east as 

 San Antonio. 



Habits. So far as known, the Black-crested Titmouse is restricted in its 

 distribution to the valley of the Rio Grande, including portions of Mexico 

 and Western Texas. It was first met with in the latter State by John \V. 

 Audubon, and described by Mr. Cassin in the Proceedings of the Philadelphia 

 Academy. 



In its general appearance and in all its habits it is mentioned as having 

 so close a resemblance to the common Tufted Titmouse as to be hardly dis- 

 tinguishable from that bird. Dr. Woodhouse met with this species near San 

 Antonio, Texas, in March, 1851. While his party was encamped on the Piio 

 Salado he observed these birds busily engaged in capturing insects among 

 the trees on the banks of the stream. Like all the members of this family, 

 it was incessantly in motion and very noisy. Later in the season, on the 

 8th of May, the same party, when encamped on the Quihi, again found this 

 species very abundant among the oaks. The young males, then fully grown, 

 closely resembled the adult females, both wanting the black crest that dis- 

 tinguishes the mature male. He afterward noticed this species occurring at 

 intervals along his route as far as the head waters of the Eio San Francisco 

 in New Mexico. He observed it almost exclusively among the trees that 

 bordered streams of water. The females and the young males invariably had 

 crests of the same cinereous color as their general plumage, but in the latter 

 slightly tinged with brown. They occurred in small parties, were very lively 

 and sociable in their habits, and in their general appearance and even in 

 their notes so very closely resembled the Eastern species as, at a short dis- 

 tance, to be liardly distinguishable from it. 



