112 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Auriparus flaviceps, Baird. 



YELLOW-HEADED BUSH-TITMOTJSE ; VERDIN. 



^githalus flavice2}s, Sundevall, OtVersigt af Vet. Ak. Forh. VII, v, 1850, 129. Psccltria 

 flaviceps, ScL. P. Z. S. XXIV, March, 1856, 37. PscdtriiMrus flaviceps, ScL. Catal. 

 Am. Birds, 1861, 13, no. 79. Paroides fl.avicc2}s, Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 400, pi. 

 liii, fig. 2. Auriparus flaviceps, Baird, Review, 1864, 85. — Cooper, Birds Cal. I, 

 51. Conirostrum ornatwm, Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. Lye. May, 1851, 113, \)\. v, fig. 1 

 (Texas)'. 



Sp. Char. Above cinereous; head, all round, yellow; lesser wing-coverts chestnut; 

 beneath brownish-white. Length, 4.50 inches; wing, 2.16; tail, 2.35. 

 Hab. Valleys of the Rio Grande and Colorado ; Cape St. Lucas. 



Habits. This new and interesting little species was first added to our 



fauna by JNIr. Lawrence in 1851, only a year 

 after its first description as a bird of Mexico. 

 Notwithstanding the abundance in which it 

 has been in certain localities, less has been 

 developed in regard to its habits and specific 

 characteristics than we seem to have had a 

 right to anticipate. 



It was found in Western Texas, in Mexico, 



in the lower valleys of New Mexico and 



Arizona, and is very abundant at Cape St. 



Of the eigliteen species of birds found by Mr. Jolin Xantus lu-eed- 



iiig in the last-named locality, this one was regarded as the most abundant. 



In a letter from that gentleman, written in August, 1859, he mentioned 



that he had collected over one hundred eggs of this species, during that 



season, in the immediate vicinity of Cape St. Lucas. 



Dr. Heermann, in his report on the birds observed in Lieutenant William- 

 son's explorations, states that he first discovered this species in Southern 



California, at the terminus of the Mohave 



River. Owing to their extreme wildness, 



lie was not able to obtain any specimens. 



In searching for their food, he states that 



they often remained suspended with their 



backs downward, after the manner of the 



Titmice. He found their nests quite 



abundant, though from the lateness of 



the season few of the birds were re- 

 maining, in the neighborhood of Fort 



Yuma. Dr. Heermann describes their 



nests as spherical, formed of twigs, and having the entrance on one' side. 



The interior was lined with down and feathers, and contained usually from 



Auriparus flaviceps. 



Lucas 



A wiparus flaviceps. 



