CHAPTER XLIX. 



November 27 December 3. 



THE TUFTED TITMOUSE. 



Order Passeres. Suborder Oscines. 



Family Paridae. Subfamily Parinae. 



Genus Parus. Species Parus bicolor. 



Length^- 5.65 to 6.50; wing, 3.05 to 3.45; tail, 2.80 to 3.15. 

 Permanent resident. 



"When the tardy sun, in winter, 

 Briefly shines a blossom hunter 

 To a tune, first sweet then sweeter, 

 Sings the Titmouse: 'Peter, Peter!' 

 And when maple sap is falling, 

 Then he magnifies his calling, 

 As in clearer notes repeats he: 

 'Peter, Peter, te, te, te, te." 



The subfamily Parinse, of which the tufted titmouse is a 

 member, contains about seventy-five species. Of these thir- 

 teen belong to North America. The range of the tufted tit- 

 mouse extends throughout the eastern United States, north to 

 the Connecticut valley and southern Michigan and west to 

 central Nebraska and Texas. Comparatively few of them are 

 found in New England, and this perhaps accounts for the fact 

 that not much has been written about them in the east. In 

 some of the books no mention is made of them. They are ir- 

 regular migrants. Most of them remain throughout the year 

 when they have taken up their abode. They mate in April 



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