FARID.E — THE TITMICE. jj^ 



Sitta carolinensis, var. aculeata, Cass. 



SLENDEB-BILLEO NUTHATCH. 



*''""?:"''"'"• •'.\^'^i^-. !'>■• A. X. S,.. VIII, Oct. I,s5ti, 2.14. - Haiki., Birds N. Am. IS.'ia, 

 '•', I'l. xxxiii, lijr. ;! . |!,.vi,.,v, 8(i. — C.oi'Kit, Orii. ('ill. I, 1870, 54. ! tliUii atroli- 



ot".T' '"^'■'■•^ ''•''' ''■ '^'- ^- 1«''»'. 2!)3 ^Cordova) ; 1858, 300 (Oii.\acii) ; 1859, 303 (Xuliipa), 

 •'7 J (Oiixaca). 



ll'^l-i 'n" ''^ ''i"iilar to earnlineii.iis ; hut ujipor sc'coiidani'.s witli only obspiiro 



1'lacki.sli .lotclu..., instead of sharply Uolinud lo>i-itudiuaI .spot.s of ek-ar black, liill .slen- 

 derer and more iitlenuated. 



IfAn. Western and Middle Provinces of the United Slates, .south to Cordova, Me.K. 

 Orizaba (.Vlpnie re-ions), HvMini. 



Tlie cliamcti!r.s j-iveii ahove (ix\)reHs the es.sential diflereiice.s between this 

 and tlie Ka.ster„ race of .V. cn-o/innisis. In the pte.ser.t form, the depth of the 

 bill opposite its l,,se in .14, the width .17, and .80 or more in lengtli 

 irom the forehead; while these same measurements in var. mrofiucmis 

 are .17, .22. and .70. Tlie obsolete (character of the black spots on the 

 secondaries is a persistent feature in the var. acu/cata. 



HA1J1T.S This bird chiuHy dillers from its eastern congener in its more 

 Slender lull. Tliere appears to be no difference in regard to their liabits, at 

 least none have been noticed, and it is probable there is none other than 

 trivial changes caused by its opportunities of procuring food, and the kinds 

 upon w uch It subsists. It is supposed f. be distributed througliout Western 

 Nor Ji America, from the IJritisii Possessions to Mexico, though Dr. Coo,,er 

 thinks that It ,s not a common bird south of San Francisco, and only to be 

 seen there m the ct.lder months. It has been met with at San Diego in Feb- 

 ruary. He did not observe any in the Coast Mountains, near Santa Cruz, 

 but northward tliey are numerous in the summer, frequenting chiefly the 

 groves of the deculuous oaks, cree].ing constantly about their trunks and 

 branches in search of insects, whicli they also occasionally seek on the roofs 

 and walls of houses. Their habits are similar to those of S. canndcn.is, but 

 their movements are .said to be slower, and their note is a single harsh call 

 uttered occasionally, and resi.on.letl to by their comrades. Dr. Cooper found 

 them quite common in Wtishi.gt,,,. Ten-itory and at Puget Sound. Dr. 

 buckley also mentions their great abundance. 



Dr Kennerly met with this species a hundred miles west of Albuquerque, 

 New Mexico, and quite abundant among the pines of the Sierra Madre He 

 speaks of its note as being jieculiar. 



Mr. J. K. Lord states that this species remained about Colville durinc. the 

 winter, when the thermometer was 30° below zero. He also mentious"that 

 le ound them nesting, in June, in the branches of the tallest pine-trees so 

 lugli up as to render the obtaining their eggs almost an impossibility 



Mr. llidgway found the Slender-billed Nuthatch abundant, throughout tlie 



