104 



NOUTU AMERICAN IJIUDS. 



ami the rede lisli -brown blotclies witli which tliey are profusely covered are 

 much more distinctly marked. Tliey are of a splieroidal oval in shaiH3, 

 have a pure white ground, very uniformly and generally s])rinkled witli 

 blotches of a reddisli-brown. They meiusure .GO by .50 of an incli. 



Parus rufescens, Towns. 



CUESTH UT-BACJUSD CHICKADEE. 



Parus rnfis»riij<, TowxsF.ND, J. A. N. Sc. Phil. VII, ii, 1837, 190. — Arn. Orn. Biog. TV, 

 IbliS, 371, i»l. cccliii. — Ib. Birds Am. 1841, 158, pi. cxxix. — Haiku, liinls N. Am. 

 IS'tS, 394; Keviow, 83. —Cooper & Sn klky, P. K. R. R<'i>. XII, ii, 1859, 194 

 ^mstiiig). — ScLATER, Catal, ISGl, 14, no. 8(5. — Dall k Banmsteu (Alaska). — 

 CooTER, Birds Cal. 1, 47. Puici/c ru/cscens, BoNAP. Cousp. 1850, 230. 



Sp. Chak. Whole hoatl and nock above, and throat from hill to upper part of breast, 

 sooty Maekish-browii. Sides of lu'iid and neck, upper part of breast, an<l middle of body, 

 Avhite; back and sides dark brownish-chestnut. Length, 475 inches j wing, 2.3l>; tail, 

 2.1(). 



Hab. Western United States, near Pacilic coast. 



Habits. The Chestnut-backed Titmouse was first obtained by Townsend 

 on the banks of the C'oluml)ia lliver, and described in the Journal of the 

 IMiiladelphia Academy. It is a resident, throughout the year, of the forests 

 of the Columbia, and is found througbout California. Like all of this 

 familiar family, they may ])e seen in small flocks, of all ages, in the autumn 

 and winter, moving briskly about, uttering a number of feeble (querulous notes, 

 after the manner of the atricnpillufi, but never joining in anything like the 

 quaint and jingling song of that bird. They occasionally have a confused 

 warbling chatter. These busy little groups may be often seen in company 

 with the Pdn'fi ocriffenfahn and the JiCf/idus satrajia, moving through the 

 bushes and thickets, carefidly collecting insects, their larva? and eggs, for a 

 few moments, and then flying olf for some other place. They are supposed 

 to rear their young in the midst of the densest forests. 



Mr. Nuttall states that when the gun tbins their ranks the survivors dis- 

 play surprising courage and solicitude, following their destroyer with wailing 

 cries, entreating for their companions. 



D\\ Gambel found tlie young of this species in great abundance around 

 ^lonterey in the fall and winter months. Dr. Heermann saw them in June, 

 1852, feeding tlieir young in the vicinity of San Francisco, where, hjwever, 

 they are rare. 



In Washington Territorj'^, I )r. Cooper found this the most abundant species. 

 It preferred the dense evergreens, where large parties could be found at all 

 seasons busily seeking food among the leaves and branches, ascending even 

 to the highest tops. They were usually in company with the lleguli and 

 the other Titmice. Mr. Bischoff' found them abundant at Sitka. 



