612 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



than that occupied by P. atrivapUlus, as I discovered a flock of 

 the latter containing both the old and the young birds, several 

 days from the nest, feeding only a few rods from the spot 

 where, snug in their tree, lay concealed the brood of young 

 hudsonicus which appeared to be only about a week out of the 



shell During my rambles in this vicinity in the months 



of September and October, I found hudsonicus to be more abun- 

 dant than during previous years, and on at least one occasion 

 a flock containing five or six individuals was seen." 



To supplement Mr. Ritchie's account I will briefly state 

 that many years ago at Sunshine, on Deer Isle, I found a 

 Chickadee's nest containing several well grown young, and 

 noted at that time that they did not have black caps on their 

 crowns, but supposed this was only the usual plumage of the 

 common species at that age. This nest was discovered in late 

 June. Some years later on, after I had become fully acquainted 

 with the appearance of the nearly fledged nestlings of the 

 Common Chickadee and learned that they always had a black 

 crown I happened to discover in looking over my notes made 

 at Deer Isle the facts noted regarding the young Chickadees 

 found there, and the evidence that I had really found the young 

 of the Hudsonian Chickadee seemed conclusive. A note 

 regarding this was recorded by me in The Oologist several 

 years ago. 



In 1904 and 1905 I saw the Hudsonian Chickadees at Fort 

 Kent and elsewhere in that vicinity in the Woolastook and 

 Fish River valleys in July and August respectively, and though 

 it was of course too late for them to be nesting, there seems no 

 doubt to my mind that they breed in that region. Again in 

 July, 1906, late in the month, I found them at Crystal in 

 Caribou Bog in small family groups of six to eight, and feel 

 positive that they must have been reared there. 



In late May, 1908, I saw several pair between Northwest 

 Carry and Hale Brook and found two nests which were com- 

 pleted and ready for eggs. The nests were situated in birch 



