30 PAR US ATRICAPILLVS. 



later ; we had pushed our boat far up the Wckiva Creek when a pair flew over, and alighted on 

 a tree near. The male commenced his lovely warble and continued it while we were within 

 hearing. The birds were not often seen in such a singular place, for we were in the midst of 

 an immense cypress swamp which extended for miles around, and we heard but few sounds save 

 the hoarse bellowing of the alligators, or the harsh cry of some lonely heron ; thus this tinkling 

 melody sounded particularly sweet after listening to such uncouth sounds in such a gloomy spot. 

 The name of Blue-gray Gnatcatcher seems particularly inappropriate for a member of this 

 family. Therefore I propose to name it the Silvery Warbler, on account of its delicate color 

 and song. They begin to migrate about April 1st and I should judge that they breed in 

 Florida about the middle of that month. My young friend Roland Thaxter found a nest 

 containing half-grown young, in May, at Ladies Island, South Carolina. It was placed in the 

 fork of a small water oak at some distance from the ground. 



FAMILY IV. PARID^E. THE TITMICE. 



Bill, short and conical, not notched or curved at the tip. Tongue, short, terminating abruptly ; with the end furnished 

 with four distinct tufts of cilia. The webs of the feathers are somewhat scatterimj gii-iny them a loose fuffy appearance. 



The sternums of this family are scarcely different from those of the preceding. The tongues are the most 

 remarkable of any which I have seen, on account of the singular terminations. The tufts are composed of several 

 rather coarse cilia and situated at regular intervals with the three intermediate spaces entirely free from any 

 projections; there are two in the centre and one at each margin. I have ventured to give this singular feature as 

 a family character although I have examined but two genera (Parus and Lophophanes) and but three species (P. 

 atricapillus et Sudsonicus and L. bicolor). 



GENUS I. PARUS. THE BLACK-HEADED TITMICE. 



GEN. CH. Sternum, very broad; exceeding in breadth one half of the length of the top of the keel. Head not 

 crested. 



All the members of this genus have dark heads and throats. They generally inhabit the woods, and build their 

 nests in holes. 



PARUS ATRICAPILLUS. 

 Black-capped Titmouse. Chickadee. 

 Pants atricapillus LINN., Syst. Nat. I, 176G, 341. 

 Pans Carolinensis AUD., Orn. Biog. 1834, 341. 

 Purus septentrionalis Harris, Proc. A. N. Sc. Phila., II, 1845, 300. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. CH. Form, ratlier stout. Bill, small. Tail, rounded. Tongue, but slightly narrower terminally than in the 

 middle. The two central tufts of cilia are but slightly longer than the outer ones. Sternum, not very stoutly built. 



COLOR. Adult. Above, ashy, becoming rufous on the rump. Wings and tail, brown with the feathers edged 

 with ashy-white. Entire top of head, nape, chin, throat and upper part of breast, black. Stripe from the base 

 of the upper mandible running below the eye, widening out over the sides of the head (including ear coverts) and 

 neck and extending over the shoulders, white. Beneath, dirty white, becoming rufous on the sides, flanks and 

 under tail coverts. Axillaries and under wing coverts, white. Tail and wings beneath, glaucous, the inner webs of 

 the latter edged with white. In autumn the under portions are more strongly tinged with rufous ; this color also 

 pervades the entire back. 



Young, like the autumnal adult, but with a deeper suffusion of rufous. 



Youny in the nesting phimaye, similar, but with less rufous ; being in fact more like the adult in spring. Sexes 

 alike. Irides, brown ; bill, black ; tarsi and feet, slaty blue, in all stages of plumage. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Specimens of the so-called Carolinensis and septentrionalis which I have in my collection exhibit scarcely any 

 more difference in coloration and size than is seen in individuals taken in New England; certainly no more than we 

 would expect to find in specimens from such distant localities. It is highly probable that occidentalis, meridionalis 

 and perhaps, montanus should also be included in the list as synonymes : of this, however, I can only judge by the 

 descriptions as I have never seen specimens of them. This species is distributed throughout nearly the entire 

 portions of North America, north of Mexico. 



