TUFTED TITMOUSE. 1 43 



hear in the middle of January, when at least the leafless trees 

 and dark cloudy skies remind us of the coldest season, the 

 lively, cheering, varied pipe of this active and hardy bird, is 

 particularly gratifying ; and though his voice on paper may ap- 

 pear to present only a list of quaint articulations, yet the deli- 

 cacy, energy, pathos, and variety of his simple song, like many 

 other things in Nature, are far beyond the feeble power of 

 description ; and if in these rude graphic outlines of the inim- 

 itable music of birds I am able to draw a caricature sufficient 

 to indicate the individual performer, I shall have attained all 

 the object to be hoped for in an attempt at natural dehneation. 



The notes of the Peto generally partake of the high, echo- 

 ing, clear tone of the Baltimore Bird. Among his more extra- 

 ordinary expressions I was struck with the call of ^whip-tom- 

 killy killy, and how and then 'whip tont ktlfy, with occasionally 

 some variation in the tone and expression, which was very 

 lively and agreeable. The middle syllable {tofn) was pro- 

 nounced in a hollow reverberating tone. In a few minutes 

 after the subject and its variations were finished, in the estima- 

 tion of the musical performer, he suddenly twisted himself 

 round the branch on which he had sat, with a variety of odd 

 and fantastic motions ; and then, in a lower, hoarser, harsh 

 voice, and in a peevish tone, exactly like that of the Jay and 

 the Chickadee, went day- day -day -day, and day-ddy-day-day- 

 ddit ; sometimes this loud note changed into one which be- 

 came low and querulous. On some of these occasions he also 

 called ^tshica dee-dee. The jarring call would then change 

 occasionally into kai-tee-did did-dit-did. These peevish notes 

 would often be uttered in anger at being approached ; and 

 then again would perhaps be answered by some neighboring 

 rival, against whom they appeared levelled in taunt and ridi- 

 cule, being accompanied by extravagant gestures. 



Later in the season, in February, when in the lower part of 

 Alabama the mild influence of spring began already to be felt, 

 our favorite, as he gayly pursued the busy tribe of insects, now 

 his principal food, called, as he vaulted restlessly from branch 

 to branch, in an echoing rapid voice, at short intervals, peto- 



