()0 NORTH AMKiacJAN lURDS. 



spring. Tlie eggs of this liird liavc a Icnigtli of .TH of an indi and a breadth 

 of .50. Tliey arc of a roundi'd oval in shape, and are thici<ly sprinkled 

 with fine rust-colored dots, intermingled witii a few larger markings of lilac, 

 on a white ground. 



Lophophanes atricristatus, Cassin. 



BLACK-TUFTED TITMOUSE ; TEXAS TITMOUSE. 



rariis a/rirri.s/iiliis, ("as.sin, Pr. A. N. Sc. I'liil. V, 18.'>(), Klli, |il. ii (Trxas). Lnphojtlmwi^ 

 ttliici islatiis, I'A.ssiN, 111. liiiils 'IVxiis, cti'. I, 1853, VA, ])\. iii, — BauiI), Uirils N. Am. 

 1858, 38,5 ; licview, 78. — C'odI'KI!, lUnls C'lil. 1, 43. 



Sp. Ciiau. Crest very Iniii; and ])oiii1i'(l (1.2") iui'lios). Aliove asli-colored, A broml 

 band on the fort'lioad dirty wiiito, rest of head above, with cre.it, l)laek, tinj^ed with ash 

 on the sides, t'olor of l\w baek sliadinj; iiisensilily into the dull a.shy-white of the nnder 

 parts, yidesofbody palu bi'ownish-chestnnt. Female with the orcvt dnller bl.ick. Iris 

 dark brown. Lonjrtli, alioiit 5.25 inches; winp', 3.00. 



Had. Valley of Kio Grande, sonth, into Mexieo. San Antonio. Texas. A^era Crnz, 



SCLATKU. 



This sjiccies is not rare in Te.xas, where it has been noticed as far east as 

 San Antonio. 



IIabits. So far as known, the IHack-crested Titmouse is restricted in its 

 distribution to the valley of tin; Jtio (Irande, including portions of Mexico 

 and Western Texas. It was first met with in the latter State by John W. 

 Audulxjn, and described by Mr. Cassin in the Troceedings of the I'liihidelphia 

 Academy. 



hi its general ajipearance and in all its habits it is mentioned as having 

 so close a resenddance t(i tlie connnon Tufted Titmouse as to be hardly dis- 

 tinguisliable from that bird. Dr. Woodhouse met with tliis species near Sa.. 

 Antonio, Texas, in March, Ifiill. While his l)arty was encamped on the IJio 

 Salado lie obs(>rved these birds busily engaged in cajituring insects among 

 the trees on the banks of the stream. Like all tlie members of tliis family, 

 it was incessantly in motion and very noisy. Liter in the season, on the 

 8th of May, the .same Jtarty, when encamped on tlie (ibiilii, again found this 

 species very idnindant among the oid<s. The young males, tlien fidly grown, 

 closely resembled the iididt females, botli wanting the black crest that dis- 

 tinguishes the matin-e male, lie afterward noticed this species occurring iit 

 intervals along liis route as far as tlie head waters of the Ilio San Franci.sco 

 in New Mexico, lie o! .served it alnio.st exclusively among the trees that 

 bordered streams of water. The females and the young males invarialily had 

 crests of the same cinereous color as their general jilumage, but in the latter 

 slightly tingeil with lirown. They oiHiurred in small parties, were very lively 

 and sociable in their haltits, ami in their geneml ap|)earaiice and even in 

 tlieir nott^s .so very closely resembled the Kastern species as, at a short dis- 

 tance, to be hardly distinguishable from it. 



