PARID.E — THE TITMICE. 1Q7 



the nest of tins heroic pair did not contain what we sought, we left them, and 

 turned to look with ec^ual admiration upon the indignant assemhly of feath- 

 ered remonstrants by which we were surrounded. The neighboring trees 

 swarmed with a variety of birds, several of which we had never before seen 

 in their summer homes. There were the Eed-Poll Warbler, the Black and 

 Yellow Warbler, and many others, all earnestly and eloquently crying out 

 shame upon our proceedings. 



Dr. Bryant, in his Notes on the Birds of Yarmouth, N. S., etc., mentions 

 finding quite a number of this species on Big Mud Island, near that place. 

 A pair of these birds with their young were seen by him near Yarmouth on 

 the 3d of July. Their habits seemed to him identical with those of the 

 Black-Cap. The young were fully grown and could fly with ease, yet their 

 parents \vere so solicitous about their safety that he could almost catch them 

 with his hand. Their notes appeared to him similar to those of our common 

 species, but sharper and more filing, and can be readily imitated by repeat- 

 ing, with one's front teeth shut together, the syllables tzee-dee-dee-dee. 



Mr. Audubon found a nest of this Titmouse in Labrador. It was built in a 

 decayed stump about three feet from the ground, was purse-shaped, eight 

 inches in depth, two in diameter, and its sides an inch thick. It was entirely 

 composed of the finest fur of various quadrupeds, chiefly of the northern 

 hare, and all so thickly and ingeniously matted throughout as to seem as if 

 felted by the hand of man. It was wider at the bottom than at the. top. 

 Tbe birds vehemently assailed the party. 



]Mr. lioss, in notes communicated to the late Mr. Kennicott, mentions that 

 specimens of this species were shot at Fort Simpson, October 13, in com- 

 pany with P. scptcntrioncdis, and others were afterwards seen towards the 

 mountains. The notes he describes as harsher than those of the septentrio- 

 nal is. The Smithsonian museum contains specimens from Fort Yukon and 

 Great Slave Lake, besides the localities already referred to. Mr. Dall found 

 it the commonest Titmouse at Nulato, abundant in the winter, but not pres- 

 ent in the spring. 



The eggs of this species measure .56 by .47 of an inch, are of a rounded 

 oval shape, and with a white ground are somewhat sparingly marked with 

 a few reddish-brown spots. These are usually grouped in a ring around the 

 larger end. 



Gexus PSALTRIPARUS, Bonap. 



Psaltripanis, Bonap. Comptes Eeiulus, XXXI, 1850, 478. (Type, P. mclanotis.) 

 yEgithaiisctcs, Cabanis, Museum Heineanum, 1851, 90. (Type, Farm erijthroccplmlus.) 

 Psaltria, Cassin, 111. N. Am. Birds, 1853, 19. 



Gen. Char. Size very small and slender. Bill very small, short, compressed, and 

 with its upper outline much curved for the terminal half. Upper mandible much deeper 

 than under. Tail long, slender, much graduated; much longer than the wings; the 

 feathers very narrow. Tarsi considerably longer than the middle toe. No black on the 



