60 NEW-YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



May, and remains with us until very late in the autumn, and indeed may be said to be a con- 

 stant resident. It feeds on nuts and hard seeds, which it breaks in a similar mode to that 

 used by the Nuthatch. It also destroys large quantities of insects and their larvae. The eggs, 

 six in number, are white with sprinkled red at the larger end. It ranges from 30° to 70° 

 north, although unnoticed in the Boreal Fauna of Richardson. Occurs throughout the north- 

 ern regions 4>f Europe and America. 



THE BLACK-CAP TIT. 

 Parus atricapillus. 



PLATE XLV. FIG. 100 (Mule). 

 (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Purus atricapillus. LinnjEHS, Syst. Nat. 12 ed. p. 341. 



Black-capped Titmouse. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 134, pi. 8, fig. 4. Audubon, forro-, pi. 353) On). Biog 



Vol. 4, p. 374. 

 Chicade*. Nuttall, Manual Ornith. Vol. 1, p. 241, figure. 

 P. atricapillus. Richardson, F. B. A- Vol. 2, p. 226. 



Black-cap Titmouse. Audubon, B. of A. Vol.2, p. 146, pi. 126 (male and female). 

 Id., P. atricapillus. Giraod, Birds of Long island, p. 77. 



Gharacteristics> Not crested. Grey tinged with brown ; crown, neck and throat black ; 

 cheeks and beneath whitish. Tail two inches long. Length, 5^ inches. 



Description. Bill short, stout. Tarsus compressed. Third and fourth quills longest, 

 subequal ; the first and seventh subequal. Tail long, slightly emarginate, rounded, extend- 

 ing 1 • 25 beyond the tips of the closed wings. Plumage long, soft and downy. 



Color. Crown and throat deep black,, with purplish tints. From the base of the bill, a 

 white space extends backwards, dilating over the cheeks, and, with the white on the upper 

 part of the breast, forms a species of white collar almost surrounding the neck. Above greyish 

 ash, tinged with brown. Rump ferruginous. Beneath whitish, or tinged with greyish brown. 

 Sides of the breast and vent pale rusty. Quills light brownish ; their outer edges dull white ; 

 the outer edges of the secondaries and external tail-feathers bluish or dull white. 



Length, 5'0-5 - 5. 



This species is considered by Temminck and Nuttall as identical with the palustris of 

 Europe. It is larger, however, and its tail proportionally longer, the black on the throat 

 descends lower, the colors are more pure and distinct, and its voice and habits are different. 

 It is, however, a closely allied species. 



The Black-cap Titmouse, or Chickadee, is a truly northern species; so abundant indeed 

 are they in the fur countries, that a family of them may be found in almost every thicket. 

 They are equally numerous in our State, particularly in the northern counties, throughout the 

 year. In the southern district it is rather rare. I have seen it in this vicinity in the depth »f 

 winter, when the whole country was buried under a deep snow. It feeds on seeds and nuts, 

 and also on spiders, canker-worms, and other injurious insects. It has been observed as far 



