DUSKY, GRAY, AND SLATE-COLORED 353 
life. We left the side partly open to watch the brood. 
The birds were very fearless, and allowed me to sit within 
a few fect of the nest while the young were fed. This 
enabled me to discover that the nestlings were fed by re- 
curgitation until four days old, when fresh food was given. 
Whether or not the adult digested the food I do not 
know; but in every feeding for the first four days the 
insects were carried to the young in the throat of the 
adult, and forced up when needed, accompanied by a 
large amount of saliva. 
The young Chickadees were slow in feathering, and 
remained in the stub nearly three weeks ; then a sponta- 
neous exit occurred early one June morning. For fully 
two weeks longer the young were seen begging to be 
fed by their indulgent parents, and showed little dispo- 
sition to become self-supporting. Their plaintive “dee- 
dee, dee-dee” was uttered continuously when they were 
not asleep. 
741a. CALIFORNIAN CHICKADEE. — Parus rufescens 
neglectus. 
Famity: The Nuthatches and Tits. 
Length: 4.50-5.00. 
Adults: Similar to chestnut-backed chickadee, but sides and flanks pale 
ashy gray, faintly washed with brownish. 
Geographical Distribution: Coast region of California from Sur River 
northward. : 
Breeding Range: In redwood belt of coast district, from Monterey to 
Marin County. 
Breeding Season: April. 
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