PARID^J THE TITMICE AND NUTHATCHES. 81 



HAS. Northeastern North America, or from northern United States east of the 

 Great Plains and northward; winter visitant south to abont40 or a little further. (Replaced 

 in the Rooky Mountain district and Great Plains and thence northward to Alaska by 

 the more slender, lighter colored race, seplentrionalis Harris.) 



SP. CHAE. Adult: Entire pileuin and cervix glossy black; chin, throat, and malar 

 region black, this broken posteriorly by whitish tips to the feathers; sides of head and neck 

 white. Upper parts ash gray, more or less tinged with yellowish; wings blackish, the 

 feathers edged with light ashy, the greater coverts and tertials broadly edged with white. 

 Tail dusky, the feathers edged with ashy, inclining to white on lateral rectrices. Median 

 lower parts (from jugulum back) white, lateral portions buff. Bill black; feet bluish 

 plumbeous, iris dark brown. Young; Very similar to the adult, but black of pileuin and 

 cervix without gloss, that of the throat more sooty, buff of sides less distinct, and plumage 

 of looser texture. 



Male (7 specimens): Wing. 2.60-2.75 (average, 2.66); tail, 2.60-2.75 (2.63); tarsus, .65-.70 (.69(. 



Female (3 specimens:) Wing, 2.55-2.60 (2.58); tail, 2.50-2.CO (2.57), tarsus, .68-.70 (.69). 



This familiar and active little bird is almost confined to the north- 

 ern half of the State, making its appearance south of the 39th 

 parallel, so far as the writer's knowledge and observation are con- 

 cerned, only at rare or at least very irregular intervals during the 

 coldest weather. Its habits are too well known to require descrip- 

 tion here. 



Parus carolinensis Aud. 



CAROLINA CHICKADEE. 



Popular synonyms. Carolina Titmouse; Southern Chickadee. 



Parus carolinensis AUD. Orn. Biog. ii, 1834, 474, pi. 160; B. Am. 11, 1811, 152, pi. 127. 

 BAIBD, B. N. Am. 1858, 392; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. 293; Review, 1864, 81. COTJES, 

 2d Check List, 1882, No. 47; 2d Key, 1884, 265. B. B. & B. Hist. N. Am. B. i, 1874, 10.J, 

 pi. 7, fig. 3. RIDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 42. 



Parus atricapillus var. carolinensis Coues, Key, 1872, 81; Check List, 1873, No. 31&. 

 HAB. Southern half of Eastern United States, north to or beyond 40, west to eastern 

 Texas and Indian Territory. (Resident throughout its range.) 



"Sp. CHAB. Second quill appreciably longer than secondaries. Tail very little rounded 

 Length about 4.50 inches; wing less than 2 50; tail, 2.40.* Back brownish ash. Head 

 above, and throat, black, separated on sides of head by white. Beneath white; brownish 

 white on sides. Outer tail feathers, primaries, and secondaries, not edged with white." 



This species, which is the more common one in Illinois (except 

 the extreme northern counties) may readily be distinguished from 

 P. atricapillus by the more extensive and more "solid" black on the 

 throat; by the absence of distinct white edgings to the wing and 

 tail feathers, and by the different proportionate length of the wing 

 and tail. (See synoptical table.) 



This pretty, active and familiar little bird occurs throughout the 

 State, but is most common in the southern half, where it is the 

 representative of the northern Black-cap (P. atricapillus). The 



*In fourteen adults, the wing measures 2.40-2.60, the average being 2.46; tail 2.10-2.50 

 (average, 2.15); tarsus, .5S-.65 (average. .60). 



