NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 487 



of the eggs is of a creamy-white tint, sprinkled with hazel and blackish; average site, 

 .60x.46 inches. 



740. KOWAK CHICKADEE. Farm hudsonlcus stoneyi (Ridgw.) Goog. 



Dist. Valley of the Kowak River, Northwestern Alaska. 



According to Mr. Ridgway this variety of Chickadee is similar to /'. Jmdtonicus, 

 but in color much grayer above, sides of neck purer ash gray, etc. Its nesting and 

 eggs are doubtless similar to liudsotticus. 



740b. COLUMBIAN CHICKADEE. Parus Itudsonicus columbianus Rhoads. 

 Geog. Dist. Rocky Mountains, from Liard River south into Montana. 



The nesting and general habits of this Chickadee are not known, but are prob- 

 ably similar to those of P. liudsonicus. 



741. CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE. Parus rufcsrcns Towns. Geog. 

 Dist. Northwestern coast Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Southern 

 Alaska. 



The Chestnut-backed Chickadee is an inhabitant of the Northwest coast where, 

 in some regions, it is rather common. Mr. A. W. Anthony gives it as a common 

 winter resident of Washington county, Oregon. It was first seen by him in Decem- 

 ber, 1884, in company with the Oregon Chickadee, Parus atriraitillux <>-idi ntiili*. 

 A few lingered to breed, but disappeared as soon as the first brood was raised. A nest 

 was found April 28, in a large fir stub three feet four inches in diameter, running 

 horizontally three inches then turning downward for six inches before opening into 

 the nest, which was of cow hair and rabbit fur. It contained seven eggs with large 

 embryos. The eggs of this species are five to seven in number; their ground color is 

 white, sprinkled over with distinct spots of redish, especially at the large end where, 

 in most specimens, they tend to form a ring. Their average size is .64x.47 inches. 

 The eggs of this species and those of the next form are not distinguishable. 



741a. CALIFORNIA CHICKADEE. Parus rufescens neglcctus Ridgw. Geog. 

 Dist. Coast district of California. 



This bird is confined to the coast regions of California where Mr. W. 0. Emerson 

 informs me it can always be found in the redwood belts. He has only seen two bird? 

 of this species in the vicinity of Haywards, which is doubtless on account of there 

 being no redwood timber. It nests in cavities of trees and stumps, and in old Wood- 

 peckers' excavations, making the nest of quadrupeds' hair. Six or seven eggs are 

 usually deposited. A set of six eggs in Mr. Emerson's collection was taken by Mn 

 George H. Ready, April 13, 1885, in Santa Cruz county, California. They were take^ 

 from an old cavity of a Gairdner's Woodpecker in a maple stub, eight feet from th f 

 ground. The eggs are similar to some specimens of the Black-capped Chickadet 

 Parus atricapillus, being white, sparsely marked over the entire surface with red 

 spots, and tending to form a ring at the larger end; average size is .63x.47. 



742. WREN-TIT. Chamaa fasciata Gamb. Geog. Dist Coast region of Cali- 

 fornia, from Monterey county northward. 



The Ground-Tit or Wren-Tit, which partakes of the features of a wren and 

 titmouse, may not be considered a common species in the Pacific Coast region of 



