306 KEPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



Common resident in the southern half of the State, north to Orange 

 (Riker) and Plainfield (Miller) ; north of this it occurs only as a 

 straggler. 



The Tufted Tit has much the same habits as the Chickadee; search- 

 ing the tree-tops for insects, and on crisp winter mornings we can hear 

 his loud, clear whistle for considerable distances through the woods, 

 "tii-lee, tu-lee, tii-lee, tii-lee," reminding one somewhat of certain 

 notes of the Carolina Wren. At other times we surprise him, low down 

 in some bushy thicket, and he then indulges in a rapid "dee-dee-dee- 

 dee," which takes the place of the Black-cap's "chick-a-dee" in his 

 repertoire. 



Mr. Chapman has observed the Tufted Tit at Englewood in April, 

 but it does not nest there. It was heard by Dr. Dwight at Lake Ho- 

 patcong, and Mr. P. B. Philipp found one pair breeding at Newton, 

 Siissex county, June, 1908. At Summit (Holmes and Callender), 

 Chatham (H. B. Bailey)^ and at Morristown (Thurber) it breeds 

 regularly. 



735 Penthestes atricapillus (Linnaeus). 

 Black-capped Chickadee. 



PLATE 80. 



Adults. — Length, 4.75-5.75. Wing, 2.60. Above, olive-gray, tinged with bu£E 

 on tlie rump ; below, white, washed with buff on the sides ; entire top of the 

 head and nape, black ; sides of the face and neck, pure white ; throat and fore 

 neck, black, the posterior feathers frosted with white, most marked in winter ; 

 wings and tail, blackish, edged with grayish-white ; nearly pure white on the 

 innermost wing feathers and outermost tail feathers. 



Young in first summer. — Duller in color. 



Nest in a hole in a tree, made of feathers, grass, hair and bark fiber ; eggs, 

 five to eight, white, spotted with reddish-brown mainly on the larger end, 

 .55 X .45. 



Common resident in the northern half of tlie State, probably not 

 breeding south of the Raritan (Miller) ; rather rare winter visitant 

 in southern New Jersey. 



The Chickadee is one of our most familiar and fearless birds, full of 

 curiosity and activity, going through the trees in little bands, from 

 branch to branch, hanging upside down to explore the under side of a 



' Auk, 188G, p. 410. 



