306 Mouslet, Birds of Hatleij, Quebec. [j^y 



Labrador Chickadee. — Rare transient; May 14-30, September 3-21, 

 (October 10 to November 12). Time was when I could not have told 

 nigricans from liltoralis in the field, but that is past history now, and 

 probably I have had as much experience in the field with the former as any 

 one, so that when a couple of Hudsonian Chickakees came into sight today, 

 October 10, 1917, at close quarters, I had no difficulty in seeing that they 

 were liltoralis and not nigricans, not so much from the fact that their 

 backs were brown instead of dusky, the caps undifferentiated, and the sides 

 of a strong brown tint, but from their behavior and the tone of their 

 voice, which was entirely different to that of any nigricans I have so far 

 come across. The same wheezy note was certainly there but it was stronger 

 and more insistent than in nigricans, which in my experience is a very 

 feeble wheeze, and as regards their behavior they came close down to 

 me of their own accord, and when whistled, the same as atricapillus will, 

 whereas I have never been able to induce nigricans to do so, in fact it has 

 always been difficult to get a shot at these latter owing to their nervous and 

 restless state. In my ' Birds of Hatley ' (Auk, Vol. XXXIII, 1916, p. 184) 

 I record two Acadian Chickadees (liltoralis) which from my late experi- 

 ence I can now assert to be correctly named, and as regards the two Hud- 

 sonian Chickadees (Penthestes hudsonicus subsp.?) (Auk, Vol. XXXIV, 

 1917, pp. 215, 217). I have no hesitation in saying they were nigricans 

 but as will be seen, the dates, October 10 to November 12, have been inserted 

 in brackets. Returning to nigricans I first became acquainted with the 

 species on May 14, 1917, when two examples were secured, and sent in 

 the flesh to Dr. Townsend for verification. Two days later another was 

 obtained and also sent to the same authority. These three proved to be 

 adults, two males and one female. On the twenty-first three more were 

 obtained and one on the thirtieth, which were all sent in the flesh and 

 given to the Victoria Memorial Museum at Ottawa (proving to be two 

 males and two females, see ' The Auk,' Vol. 34, 1917, pp. 486-487) which in- 

 stitution at the time possessed only one example, and that not a Canadian 

 taken one. No more were seen until the very early and no doubt record 

 " fall " date of September 3, when two were obtained and sent to Dr. 

 Townsend, but owing to a delay in the mails, they were unfortunately not 

 in a fit state to preserve on arrival. Another male was secured on the 

 thirteenth and again given to the Museum at Ottawa. Altogether from 

 May 14 to September 21, sixteen examples were seen, and without ex- 

 ception, as already stated, they were restless and difficult to approach, 

 especially amongst the firs which they always frequented either alone, or in 

 the company of flocks of Golden and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, generally 

 the former. 



