366 BIRDS OF THE NEW YORK CITY REGION 



LABRADOR CHICKADEE (Penthestes hudsonicus nigricans) 1 

 There was a remarkable southward flight of Hudsonian or 

 Brown-capped Chickadees in the winter of 1916-17. All 

 specimens taken locally and at various points in New England 

 belonged to the recently described Labrador race, which any- 

 one can recognize in life, who is well acquainted either with 

 the typical Hudsonian or the Acadian Chickadee, so strongly 

 marked are its characters. The various sight records made 

 locally are consequently referred here, as the presumptive 

 evidence is strong. There is no difficulty in recognizing the 

 Hudsonian Chickadee, should another flight occur. Instead 

 of being black-capped, white, and gray, it has a brownish- 

 gray cap, the back is brownish and the sides are rufous. The 

 call note is a nasal, drawling tchick, chee-day-day , with pro- 

 nounced intervals and strongly accented, quite different from 

 any effort of the Black-capped Chickadee. 



Long Island. Two sight records are presumably this sub- 

 species; November 13, 1916 at Hewlett (Bicknell, Auk, 1917, 

 p. 93); December 2, 1916 at Roslyn (Gerald H. Thayer). 



New York State. Four birds were discovered December 2, 

 1916 on Staten Island by Harold K. Decker, in the Moravian 

 Cemetery. As many as five individuals were seen at one time by 

 H. H. Cleaves, and many other observers. At least one bird re- 

 mained until February. As a matter of record I collected a speci- 

 men on January 14, 1917, which was clearly referable to nigricans. 



BRONX REGION. A Brown-capped Chickadee, presumably 

 nigricans was discovered in Van Cortlandt Park on October 29, 

 1916 (C. L. Lewis). 



New Jersey. Two Labrador Brown-capped Chickadees were 

 found in a cedar grove near Scotch Plains December 17, 1916 (W. 

 DeW. Miller). One collected on December 31, was clearly refer- 

 able to nigricans. The other was last seen on January 28. On 

 January 7 Miller saw a single individual in another locality 

 between Plainfield and Stirling, and on February 4 he and Mr. 

 Chas. H. Rogers found another individual between Westfield and 

 Summit (See Miller, Auk, 1917, p. 218). 



!This recently proposed subspecies has not yet been passed upon by the A. O. U. 

 Committee. 



