122 DESCRIPTION OF PARUS MONTANUS 



into a rotten stump near the roadside in Brookline. The 

 stuuip was so much decayed that its top was readily broken off 

 and the nest exposed. The mother refused to leave until forci- 

 bly taken off by the hand, and twice returned to the nest when 

 thus removed, and it was only by holding her in the hand that 

 an opportunity was given to ascertainlthere were seven young 

 birds in her nest. She made no complaints, uttered no outcries, 

 but resolutely and devotedly thrust herself between her nest- 

 lings and the seeming danger. When released she immediately 

 flew back to them, covered them under her sheltering wings, 

 and looked up in the face of her tormentors with a quiet and 

 resolute courage that could not be surpassed." 



Mountain Chickadee 



Parus montanus 



Parus montanus, Gamb. Pr. Phila. Aead. i. 1843, 259 (Santa Fe, N. Mex.); iii. 1846, 155; 

 Journ. Phila. Acad. 2d ser. i. 1847, 35, pi. 8, f. 1. Qass. 111. i. 1853, 18. Woodh. Sitgr. 

 Rep. Expl. Zufii, 1853, 68. Fetch. PRRR. vi. 1857, 79. Bd. BNA. 1858, 394 (Oregon ; 

 Nebraska; Texas). Xant. Pr. Phila. Acad. 1859, 191 (Fort Tejon,Cal.).tfeerm. PRRR. 

 x. 1859, 42. Henry, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1859, 107. Coop. 4- Suck. NHWT. 1860, 194. Bd. 

 Ives's Rep. Col. R. 1861, pt. vi. 6.Bd. Rev. AB. 1864, 82. Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 

 xviii. 1866, 79. Coop. Am. Nat. iii. 1869, 75 (Montana). Coop. B. Cal. i. 1870, 46, fig. 

 Stev. U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr, for 1870, 1871, 464. Aiken, Pr. Bost. Soc. xv. 1872, 195 (Col- 

 orado). Coues, Key, 1872, 81. Allen, Bull. MCZ. iii. 1872, 174. Merr. U. S. Geol. Surv. 

 Terr, for 1872, 1873, 672, 712, 1\3.Ridgw. Bull. Ess. Inst. v. 1873, 179. Yarr. 6? Hensh. 

 Rep. Orn. Specs. 1874, 7. Hensh. Rep. Orn. Specs. 1874, 40, 72, 99. Coop. Am. Nat, 

 viii. 1874, 17. Coues, BNW. 1874, 22, 230. S. B. $ R. NAB. i. 1874, 95, fig. pi. 7. f. 5. 

 Hensh. Zool. Expl. W. 100 Merid. 1876, 169. 



PffiCiJe montanus, Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. xviii. 1866, 79 (Arizona). 



Mountain Chickadee, White-browed Chickadee, Vulg. 



HAB. United States, from eastern slopes and foothills of the Rocky Mount- 

 ains to the Pacific. In southerly portions, chiefly alpine districts. 



CH. SP. $ 2 Cinereus, infra cinereo-albus; alis cauddque cinc- 

 reo-fuscis, albido-limbatis ; lateribus capitis et colli albidis; pileo, 

 nuchd gulaque nigris^ strigd super ciliari alba. 



$ $ : Upper parts ashy-gray, with scarcely a shade, and only on the rump, 

 of the ochraceous seen in most of the other species ; under parts similarly 

 grayish- white, without an ochrey tinge, the middle of the belly nearly white, 

 the rest more heavily shaded. Wings and tail with comparatively little 

 whitish edging the tail at least with no more than that of P. caroUnensis. 

 Sides -of the head and neck white ; top of the head, and the throat, black. 

 A conspicuous white superciliary stripe in the black cap 1 , usually connecting 

 with its fellow across the forehead. Length about 5 inches ; wing, 2^-2| ; 

 tail, rather less; bill, f ; tarsus, f. 



