J.S4 Till-: i;i SI I- rn. • 



an «.'Vf ai»i:iais at llii* miiaiKc, ilic Itinl l)ii.sili> up and liissfs in a very snakc- 

 liki- fashion. This is loo nuioh for the ncrscs ni a Cliipniinik, and wc guess 

 llial the single hrood of a Cliickailee is not often (hsturbed 



.\o. I n). 

 HI Sll 11 I-. 



A. (1. r. Xo. 74.V Psaltriparus minimus (Towns.). 



S>non>ms.- I,i; AST i;L>n-TiT. I'l i".i;t Socnh Bish-tit. I'acii-ic I'.i sn-iir. 



Description.--. '(/i///,v; Crown and hindneck warm brown abrnptly contrast- 

 ing willi dnll leaden or mouse gray hue of remaining npperparts ; wings an<l tail 

 slaty edged with pale gray; sides of head like crown but duller and paler; undcr- 

 parts sordid l)rowni>h white deepening into dull drab on sides and flanks. Length 

 about 4.1X) ( loi I ; wing 1.S7 147.51: tail J.n^ (^J): bill .26 (6.9); tarsus .62 

 (15.8). 



Recognition Alarks. — I'ygmy size: leaden coloration with brownish cap 

 unniiNtak.ilile. 



Nesting. — W'sl: a pendulous ])onch from six inches to a foot in length and 

 three or four inches in diameter, with Muall entrance hole in side near top; an 

 exipiisite fabrication of mosses. |)lain-down and other soft vegetable substances 

 bound together by cobwebs and ornamented externally with lichens, etc.. lined 

 with plant-down and feathers; placed at moderate heights in bushes, rarely from 

 ten to twenty feet u|> in lir trees. Eyijs: 5-8, usually 7, dull white fre<|uently 

 discoloring to i)ale drab rluring incubation. .\v. size .55 x .40 ( 13.9 x 10.2 (. 

 Season: April-July; two or more broods. 



(jeneral Range. — Pacific Coast district from Lower California to the Fraser 

 Kiver. 



Range in Washington. — Resident west of the Cascades at lower levels, rare 

 northerly— perhaps nearly conlined to the I'uget Sound basin. 



Authorities. — I'linis iiiiniiiiiis, Townsend, lourn. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., \TI. 

 iS.^7. KK) (Columbia Kiver). C&S. Ka. Kk. r..E. 



Specimens. I', of W. I'rov. I'.. 



IT LS an age of specialists. The man who could do anything — after 

 a fashion — has given place to the man who can tlo one thing well. .\nd in 

 this we have but followed Xature's example. The birds are specialists. 

 The Loon is ;i diver; the Connoiant a fisher; the Petrel a mariner, and so 

 on until we come to Swallows, who are either masons or mining engineers; 

 and to Catbird an<l Thrush, who are trained musicians. 



The P>u.sh-Tits belong to the builders' caste. They are sjiecialists in 

 domestic architecture. The little birds not only enjoy their task; they have 

 nest-building on the brain, A beautifid home is more than meat to them. 



