A MERICAN ORNITHOL O G K 



87 



CALIFORNIA BUSH-TIT. 



A. O. I/, Jfo. 743a. iVjaltriparitj minimus califomicas.) 



RANGE. 



The whole of CaHfornia except the northern coast district. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length 4 inches; extent 6.5 inches; tail 2.25 inches. Bill and feet near- 

 ly black. Eyes dark brown. 



Male and female. — Entire upper parts dark gray, the head being tinged 

 with brown, and the wings having the primaries and secondaries edged 

 with lighter gray on the outer web. Below dull brownish white changing 

 to a brighter shade on the sides. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



The Bush-tit builds a beautiful purse shaped nest which appears large 

 for so small a bird. The one shown is a typical nest. Mr. Clark of Napa, 

 Cal., gives the data for this nest: — "Length of nest over all 6.5 inches. 

 Diameter at opening, which is .5 of an inch from the top, 2.5 in- 

 ches. Diameter of opening .75 

 of an inch, and it is protected by 

 a hood. Greatest diameter 

 (where the eggs rested) was 3.5 

 inches. The thickness of the 

 nest walls is about .5 in. except 

 the bottom which is about an 

 inch. The nest was fastened to 

 a small twig which ran through 

 at the lower edge of the opening 

 and served as a foothold for the 

 birds. The nest is composed of 

 lichens, moss, grass, oak blossoms, 

 and various downy leaves, the 

 whole being wonderfully bound to- 

 gether with silk from the cocoon of 

 our large Cecropia.. These nests 

 are generally lined with feathers 

 or other soft material, though this 

 one had no lining. I have found 

 these nests at altitudes varying 

 from eight to thirty feet." 



The eggs range from 4 to 9 in 

 number. They are pure white, laid 

 usually about the middle of April. 



Photo bv F. C. Clark. 



