THE MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE. 279 



or tliree feet. The mar prcse-iui.- dt water is a [)riinc rc(|uisili'. and a Idw 

 swampy wouds is the faxMriu- ligation. Smncliiiics a dcsi-rted ncsl of a 

 Gairdner Woodpecker may he used: l)ul. on the other hand, excavations 

 may be made in green wood al no little cost of exertion on the part of 

 the midgets. Several nests I have seen in willow and poplar trees, and at 

 a height of fifteen or twenty feet. 



Young Chickadees are such cunning little creatiu'es that the temptation 

 to fondle them is sometimes irresistible. The parents may ha\e \ery 

 decided views as to the ])ro])riety of such action, or they ni.'iy reg.ard you 

 as some bene\-olent giant whose ways are abo\e sns])icion. Xot infre(|uently, 

 if the _\oung are kindly treated, the parent l)ird will \eiUure upon the hand 

 or shoulder to pursue its necessary offices. 



No. 108. 



MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE. 



A. O. U. Xo. /^H. Penthestes jcambeli ( Ridgway). 



Description. — .Idiilts in spriiuj and snnuncr: Somewhat as in P. atricapiUus, 

 head and throat similar but black interrupted by strong white superciliary stripe 

 nearly or quite meeting fellow on forehead ; u])perparts plain deep ashy gray, 

 or mouse-gra)- ; wings and tail dee|)er gra\- with some pale grayish edging : sides 

 of head and neck white; underparts (except throat) dull wliite more or less 

 washed on sides, flanks, and under tail-coverts with gray. Adults in fall and 

 7i'intcr: Upperparts washed with buiify ; brownish on sides: some white edging 

 on forehead and su])erciliary strij)e broader. Young birds are duller as to black 

 of head and neck, and have a less distinct superciliary. Length about 5.00 ( 127) ; 

 wing 2.--, (JO) : tail 2.35 (60) ; bill .40 (10.2) ; tarsus .70 (18). 



Recognition Marks. — Warbler size: much like Oregon Chickadee, but white 

 su])erciliary distinctive: range higher (on the average) than other species. ' 



Nesting. — Xcst: (|uite as in atricapiUus and similarly situated. Bggs: 5-8. 

 pure icliitc. or only faintly marked with reddish brown. Av. size, .60 x .45 ( 15.2 x 

 1 1.4). Season: >.Iay ; one brood. 



General Range. — Mountains of western I'nited vStales troin the Rockies to 

 the Pacific Coast: north to I'.ritish Colmnbia (chietly east of the Cascades) : south 

 to northern Lower California. 



Range in Washington. — Resident in the mf)untains ami timliered foo'hills, 

 chietly ea>l of the 1 (."ascadc) divide; casual at Seattle. 



Authorities. — ("Mountain Chickadee" Johnson, Rep, Ciov. W. T. 1884 

 (885), p. 22.] \Pariis niontanus. C.ambel, Coo])er and Suckley, Rep. Pac. R. R. 

 Surv. XII. i860, ]). 194. "I-'ort Dalles" ( I'.aird, "Foi-t Dalles, Oregon"). Xot a 

 valid Washington record.] I'arus t/aniht'li Lawrence, An!:, \'oI. IX. Ian. 1S92, 

 p. 47. C&S. L'. D'. D-'. J. 



Specimens. — V. of W. Prov. C. 



