636 HISTORY OF THE 



nearly throughout the eastern United States, southward to 

 Guatemala. (Replaced on the Pacific coast from California to 

 Sitka by 12. satrapa olivaceus.} 



SP. CHAK. "Above, olive green, brightest on the outer edges of the wing. 

 Tail feathers tinged with brownish gray towards head. Forehead, a line over 

 the eye, and space beneath it, white. Exterior of crown, before and laterally, 

 black, embracing a central patch of orange red, encircled by gamboge yellow. 

 A dusky space around the eye. Wing coverts with two yellowish white bands; 

 the posterior covering a similar band on the quills, succeeded by a broad dusky 

 one. Under parts dull whitish. Female without the orange red central patch. 

 Young birds without the colored crown, and black head markings obsolete or 

 only faintly indicated." 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 4.20 6.85 2.25 1.90 .68 .30 



Female... 8.90 6.60 2.15 1.72 .65 .28 



Iris brown; bill blackish, the base of under sometimes pale; 

 legs and feet brown; soles of feet yellowish; claws black. 



These diminutive little beauties frequent the orchards and 

 groves, especially during migration, and in the winter months, 

 but their favorite resorts are within the deep woods. They usu- 

 ally move about in small flocks, and often in company with the 

 Titmice, and like the latter live largely in the branches of the 

 trees, flitting here and there, and hopping about with half-spread 

 wings, in various graceful attitudes; uttering, in a cheerful, con- 

 tented manner, their soft call note, ' ' Te-ze, te-ze, ' ' as they peep 

 into the fissures in the bark, and under the leaves, arid flutter 

 before the buds and flowers, or dart from the perch to capture 

 the passing insect. A picture of restless, active existence, that 

 hardily braves the coldest storms. 



In the early breeding season, the males sing softly and sweetly, 

 a low, lisping, whistling warble, that I have often stopped to lis- 

 ten to in the deep northern evergreen forests. It is not attract- 

 ive, and would hardly be noticed by the common observer, as 

 it rises but little above the mnrmur of the leaves; but, to the 

 lover of nature, it falls upon the ear in pleasing harmony with 

 its surroundings. The following is a description of a nest con- 

 taining ten eggs, collected in the spring of 1882, at Grand 

 Manan, New Brunswick: 



The nest was built in thick twigs, at the end of a spruce 



