6q8 FiHi.n Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. IX. 



early in the spring of 1900, before the trees were in leaf, he saw a 

 large flock of Tufted Titmice in the woods west of Riverside, Illinois." 

 (Birds of the Chicago Area, 1907, p. 188.) 



There are specimens in the Field Museum collection from the 

 northern half of the state, taken at Henry and Warsaw. 



Messrs. Kumlien and HoUister state: "In the Museum of the 

 University of Wisconsin, there is a single specimen of the tufted tit, 

 shot by Mr. N. C. Gilbert, December 15, 1900, near Madison. The 

 bird was alone, and this is doubtless the only record for the state." 

 (Birds of Wisconsin, 1903, p. 124.^ 



The nest is in a hole in a dead tree. The eggs arc 5 to 8 in number, 

 pure white or creamy wliite, speckled with reddish brown, and 

 measure about .70 x .55 inches. 



Genus PENTHESTES Reichcnbach. 



352. Penthestes atricapillus (Lixn.). 

 Chickadee. 



Pariis atricapillus Linn., A. O. U. Check List, 1895, p. 307. 



Distr.: Eastern United States and British Provinces, north to 

 southern Labrador and southern Keewatin; breeds from Pennsyl- 

 vania and northern Illinois northward; south in winter to Kentucky, 

 Missouri, and Kansas; also occurs west of the Rocky Mountains in 

 British Columbia, Washington, and Idaho, but not in the intermediate 

 country west of Dakota. 



Adult: Crown, nape, and throat, black; sides of head from base of 

 bill, white; back, ashy, with an olive tinge; breast and middle belly, 

 white; sides and lower belly, tinged with pale tawny brown; wings 

 and tail, dark slaty brown, most of the feathers edged with white; 

 greater wing coverts edged with white. Sexes similar. 



Length, 5.15; wing, 2.50; tail, 2.45; bill, .32. 



The Chickadee is a common resident in northern Illinois and Wis- 

 consin and a winter visitant in southern Illinois. In addition to the 

 familiar chick-a-dee-dee-dee, from which it has derived its name, the 

 Chickadee has a delightful little pee-wee whistle of two high notes 

 vNinich may be suggested by playing E C of the scale softly on the flute. 



Breeds in April and May. The nest is in a hole in a dead stump 

 or tree and is composed of moss, feathers, fine grass, plant fiber, etc. 

 The eggs are usually from 6 to 8 in number, pure white, spotted and 

 speckled chiefly at the larger end with shades of brown, and measure 

 about .60 X .47 inches. 



