THE TEXAN TUFTED TIT. 45 



28. THE CALIFORNIAN TUFTED TIT. 



LOPHOPHANES INORNATUS (^Gajnb.) Cassin. 



Plain Titmouse; Gray Titmouse. 



This replaces the species just described, from western Tcxai, 

 and Colorado to the Pacific. It is abundant in New Mexico 

 and Arizona, and its habits arc like those of the eastern species. 

 All thus far known of its nidificalion is cmbi^aced in a note by 

 Dr. Heerman, who found the bird occupying a deserted wood- 

 peckei-'s hole ; and in the recent short account by Dr. William 

 A. Cooper (Bull. N. O. C, III, p. 69) , of a nest and eggs found 

 April 4, 1S77, near Santa Cruz, Cal. The bird was very cau- 

 tious about disclosing the position of its nest, but an examina- 

 tion showed that it " was placed in a hollow in the end of a 

 limb of an oak, five feet from the ground, the mouth of the hole 

 verj' small. . . The nest is composed outwardly of grasses, 

 the inner portion of fur of rabbits and other animals, besides a 

 few hairs and feathers. It measures 7.50 inches in diameter 

 oi.tside, 2.50 inside ; depth 2.50 outside, i inside. 



" The eggs, four in number, had been incubated about five 

 days. The ground color is white, marked over the whole e^^ 

 with minute, irregular spots of a pale reddish color. The most 

 spotted c^^^ has a perceptible pinkish appearance. Measure- 

 ments, .68 X .53, .68 X .52, .64 X .52, .64 X .52. I anticipate 

 finding, in additional sets of the eggs of this species, deeper 

 colored and larger markings, with considerable variation of size 

 and shape, besides a larger number of eggs." 



The female was sitting on this nest, and would not leave it, 

 "fighting even unto death." The figure in the plate was kindly 

 drawn for me by Mr. Cooper from one of these eggs. 



29. THE TEXAN TUFTED TIT. 

 LOPHOPHANES ATRICRISTATUS Cassin. 

 Black-crested Titmouse. 



Along the Rio Grande this titmouse is not rare, and has been 

 noticed as far castas San Antonio. It has the habits of its east- 

 ern congener. Dr. Heerman and other early explorers told us 

 that it built its nest in the hollows of trees, making it of fine dry 



