( 77) 



FAMILY PARING. 



TITS. 

 GENUS PARUS — LINN. 



[Bill short, straight, strong, rather broad at the base, narrowing towards the 

 end ; nostrils concealed with recumbent frontlet feathers ; bristles at the base ; 

 head rounding above, rather large ; neck short ; body rather short ; wings of 

 moderate length ; tail rather long, graduated, of twelve feathers.] 



PARUS ATRICAPILLUS— LINN. 

 BLACK-CAPT TITMOUSE. 



Black-capt Titmouse, Parus atricapillus, "Wils. Amer. Orn. 



Parus atricapillus, Bonap. Syn. 



Black-capt Titmouse, Nuxt. Man. 



Black-capt Titmouse, Parus atricapillus, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Upper part of the head, hind neck, throat, 

 and fore neck black ; cheeks and sides of the neck white ; upper 

 and lower parts yellowish-gray, lighter beneath ; wings and tail 

 brown, the feathers edged with bluish-white. Length five inches 

 and a quarter, wing two and five-eighths. 



The Black-capped Titmouse, or " Chicadee," is with us a con- 

 stant resident, and is said to be quite common throughout the year 

 as far north as Hudson's Bay. During the spring and summer 

 months it usually frequents the woods ; in autumn it resorts to the 

 cultivated grounds, and at that period feeds on various kinds of seed. 

 In winter, when the ground is covered with snow, it becomes quite 

 familiar, approaches the farmer's door, and during the time of kill- 

 ing the hogs, draws near to the scene of operation, and feeds on por- 

 tions of fat, &c. from the offal. It associates in small parties, and 

 is seen climbing round the limbs of trees, frequently hanging by 

 its feet, and pecking at the bark in search of insects and their 

 larvse. The nest is usually placed in the cavity of a tree. The 

 eggs are six in number, of a white color, minutely speckled with 

 red. I have not known P. carolinensis to appear on Long Island. 

 In point of plumage it differs but little or nothing from the present, 



