54 ATESTS AND EGGS OF BIRDS. 



34. THE CHESTNUT-BACKED TITMOUSE. 



PARUS RUFESCENS To-.vnsoid. 



Inhaliits the Coast and Cascade ranges of the Pacific Coast ^ 

 more rarely eastward to northern Rocky monntains. 



Choosing a deca\cd crevice, sometimes pretty deep, in some 

 broken branch or other convenient part of a tree, this titmouse 

 furnishes it far better than most birds which nest in holes 

 consider necessarw 



A nest tbund at Santa Cruz, Cal., by J. S. Francis, and now 

 in the collection of J. S. Ilowland, of Newport, R. I., is one of 

 the few \et known. It is four inches broad bv two high, but 

 t!ie cavity of the nest is small, and is much at one side of the 

 centre. The heterogeneous materials seem merely to have 

 been massed together, no interweaving being a-pparent. They 

 consist mainly of shreds of reddish-tan-colored inner bark of 

 the spruce or hemlock, very much frayed out. This gives a 

 l)urnt-l)rown hue to the whole aifair. Mixed with this are frag- 

 ments of leaves, some soft grass, stems and bark of weeds, 

 rootlets, hair, feathers, etc., etc., and at the base many pieces of 

 snake-skin. The interior is simply a cup hollowed by pressure 

 of the biivls' feet and body, the rim of which is defined and kept 

 in shape by the stiffness of a few horse-hairs circularly laid. 

 The whole substance of the nest is so elastic and soft that no 

 special lining is necessary. It was found on April 24, 187^, and 

 contained li\e fresh eggs. Nests taken by Wm. A. Cooper in 

 the same region are substantially similar. 



The eggs of this titmouse are slightly larger than those of 

 the chickadee, and more elliptical in outline. The ground- 

 color of blown specimens is shining wdiite ; and the markings, 

 which are somew hat more crowded around the thickest part of 

 the egg, are fine dots of obscure reddish-brown, and a few of 

 still more obscure lilac in some specimens. The distinctness 

 and nvmiber of the spots vary in different eggs. Size of five 

 eggs : .64 by .52 ; .63 by .50 ; .63 by. 51 ; .61 by .50 ; .61 by .49 

 of an inch. 



