afpeivdix. 337 



Chestnut-backed Tit^iouse. 

 Parus *riifescens, (Townsend,) Journal Acad. Nat. Sciences, 

 Vol. 7, part II., p. 190. Audubon's Birds of America, Vol. 4, pi. 

 353. Male and female. 7"w/oo(yi/«//a of the Chinook Indians. 



Bill black ; head and throat sooty-brown, or dark umber ; a 

 white line from the bill under the eye, extending to the hind- 

 head, where it increases considerably in breadth ; whole back 

 and rump chestnut ; wings and emarginate tail dusky ; the 

 exterior edges of the feathers of the former, as well as the coverts, 

 whitish ; breast, belly and vent, grayish-white, the base of the 

 plumage blackish ; flanks chestnut ; legs and feet blue. Leno-th 

 scarcely 4^ inches ; extent of wings 6| inches. The sexes are 

 very nearly alike. 



Inhabits the Columbia river ; common, gregarious. Voice 

 somewhat similar to P. atricapillus, but sharper and more 

 squeaking. 



Brown-headed Titmouse. 



Parus *minimus, (Townsend,) Journal Acad. Nat. Sciences, 

 Vol. 7, part II., p, 190. Audubon's Birds of America, Vol. IV, pi. 

 35.3. Male, female and nest. A-ha-ke-loh of the Chinook Indians. 

 Bill short, stout, and entirely black ; top of the head light-brown 

 or rust color, paler on the cheeks ; whole back and rump cine- 

 reous-gray ; the wings and tail cinereous-brown, the feathers of 

 the former edged exteriorly and interiorly with light gray ; third 

 and fourth primaries longest ; tail remarkably long, of twelve 

 rather narrow feathers ; whole lower parts gray, the belly and 

 flanks inclining to rust. Legs and feet blackish. Iz'ides yellow. 

 Whole length 4 inches ; length of tail 2 inches ; extent of wings 

 5 inches. The male and female are very similar in size and 

 markings. 



I first observed this little species on the Columbia river in 

 May, 1835, and procured a pair. They hopped through the 

 bushes, and hung from the twigs in the manner of other titmice, 

 twittering all the time, with a rapid enunciation, resembling the 

 words, tsish-tsish-tsee-tsee. Upon my return, I found that Mr. 

 Nuttall had observed the same birds a few hours previously in 

 another place. He said that they frequently flew to the ground 



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