I02 PROCEEDINGS MANCHESTER INSTITUTE 



176. Penthestes hudsonicus hudsonicus. Hudsonian 

 Chickadee. 



A not uncommon permanent resident, breeding in the fir 

 and spruce forests above 3000 feet and sparingly at much lower 

 levels. In 1900, on July 3, several individuals were found in a 

 swampy wood at the Meadows within the Jefferson valley, where 

 the elevation is about 1200 feet. Here on July 2 and 11, 1902, 

 a single bird was again observed. These dates suggest that the 

 species may have bred in this swamp at that time. As all the 

 tree growth was destroyed by fire the next year, the place ceased 

 to be a haunt of the species, whether for breeding or not. On 

 June 30, 1904, one was noted in the Weeks Pond woods at an 

 equally low elevation. 



Mr. Spaulding informs me that he found the species breed- 

 ing in Lancaster in 1908 and 1909. On June 3 in the former 

 year and on June 7 in the latter year a nest and seven eggs in 

 each instance was found. These nestings, he states, were at an 

 elevation of less than 1000 feet. Mr. Spaulding heard the song 

 both seasons. In 1910 he found no nest. On July 18, 1910, an 

 adult bird with two immature birds was seen in the Great Gulf 

 near the Appalachian Mountain Club's camp. 



After the breeding season birds are regularly noted in the 

 forest on the southerly decline of the Cherrj' Mountain road, 

 where is much growth of fir and spruce, and in Bretton Woods. 

 In some seasons individuals have appeared on the Highland. 

 On July 27, 1906, my assistant observed one in a crab-apple 

 tree on our place. He stated to me that he saw the bird plainly. 

 This was a very early date for a bird to be distant from its breed- 

 ing ground, but I have no reason to doubt the correctness of the 

 identification. I,ater, on August 5, I noted one higher up on 

 the side of Boy Mountain, perhaps the same bird. In late 

 September two were noted in this same localit5^ I have never 

 found the species on Boy Mountain in the breeding season. On 

 October 1 1 of the same year two birds were seen by the road- 

 side on the Highland, In 1907 again a bird was on our place 



