104 NOllTH AMERICAN UIIIDS. 



ami the reddish-brown blotches with which they are profusely covered are 

 much more distiiuily marked. Tiiey are of a si»heroidal oval in shape, 

 lia\ 3 a pure white ground, veiy unilormly aiul genor.illy sjn-inkled witli 

 blotches of a reddisli-brown. Tiiey measure .00 by .50 of an inch. 



Farus r-ifescens, Towns. 



CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE. 



I'm us riif.-mii.i, TiiWNsi-.Ni), .1. A. N. Se. Pliil. VII, ii, 1S37, 190.— Ari). On\. Riog. IV, 

 isas, 371, jil. n'cliii. — Id. Birds Am. 1841, 158, pi. c.\.\ix. — ItAiiiii, Itinls N. Am. 

 IS.W, ay4; Review, 83. — CooPKR & Sl'cKl.KV, P. U. U. li.'i.. XII, ll, la.lit, 194 

 (nesting). —S(.i,.vrKii, Catiil. 1801, 14, no. 8f!. — Oai.i, & HANNi.sTi'.it (Aliuska). — 

 (.'iMiiM'.::, Hiiils (.'al. 1, 47. I'uecih: riifisccii.i, ItiixAi". (."onsji. ISSO, '230. 



Si'. CiiAK. Whole licad and neck almve, aii<l throat IVoiii bill to upper part of hreast, 

 sooty lilai-kish-liiowii. Sides of head ami iieek. upper pail of hreast, and middle of hody, 

 white; l)a(;k and sides dark brownish-eliestuut. Length, 475 inclit^'; wing, 2.'M; tail, 

 2.10. 



Had. Western I'liiled States, n<'ar I'aeilie eoast. ' 



Haiuts. The Cliestuut-backefl Titmoiiso was first obtained by Townsend 

 on the banks uf the Coluudtia JJiver, and described in th(! Journal of the 

 riiiladelphii) Academy. It is a resident, throuohout the year, of the forests 

 of the Columbia, and is found throuohout California. Like all of thi.s 

 familiar family, they may be .seen in small ilocks, of all ages, in the autuum 

 and winter, moving briskly about, uttering a nund)er of feeble (juerulous notes, 

 after the manner of tlie nti-iciipillux, liut never joining in anything like the 

 (jnaint and jingling .song of that l)ird. Tliey occasionally have a coidi 

 warbling cliatter. These busy little gniu))s may be often seen in coin ,ny 

 with the Pftnis (irridftifa/is and tlu; Iteifithtu sntriipa, moving through tlie 

 b.ishes and thickets, cartd'ully collecting insects, their larvie ami eggs, for a 

 ♦ew moments, and tlien Hying olf for sonu! otlier jiliu-e. Tliey are suppo.sed 

 to rear tlu'ir young in the midst of tlie densest forests. 



Mr. Nuttall states tliat when the gun thins their raidvs the survivors dis- 

 play surprising coinage and solicitiule, following their destroyer with wailing 

 cries, entres ng for their companions. 



J)r. (buubel found the young of this species in great abumlancc ammul 

 ^lonterey in the fall and winter months. Dr. Ileermann saw them in June, 

 ].sr)2, feeding their young ill the vicinity of San Francisco, where, however, 

 they are rare. 



In Washington Territory, Dr. ( 'oo])er ftamd this the most abundant species. 

 It ))rel'erred tlie dense overgieens, where large parties cotdd be found at all 

 seasons busily seeking food among the leaves luul brar.ches, ascending even 

 to the higliest tops. Tiiey were usually in company witli tlie Jicijnii and 

 the otlier Titmice. Mr. JJischofl" found them abundant at Sitka. 



