DUSKY, GRAY, AND SLATE-COLORED 353 



life. We left the side partly open to watch the brood. 

 The birds were very fearless, and allowed me to sit within 

 a few feet of the nest while the young were fed. This 

 enabled me to discover that the nestlings were fed by re- 

 gurgitation until four days old, when fresh food was given. 

 Whether or not the adult digested the food I do not 

 know ; but in every feeding for the first four days the 

 insects were carried to the young in the throat of the 

 adult, and forced up when needed, accompanied by a 

 large amount of saliva. 



The young Chickadees were slow in feathering, and 

 remained in the stub nearly three weeks ; then a sponta- 

 neous exit occurred early one June morning. For fully 

 two weeks longer the young were seen begging to be 

 fed by their indulgent parents, and showed little dispo- 

 sition to become self-supporting. Their plaintive "dee- 

 dee, dee-dee " was uttered continuously when they were 

 not asleep. 



741 a. CALIFORNIAN CHICKADEE. — Penthestes 



rufescens neglectus. 



Family : The Nuthatches and Tits. 



Length: 4.50-5.00. 



Adults: Similar to chestnut-backed chickadee, but sides and flanks pale 



ashy gray, faintly washed with brownish. 

 Geogi-apMcal Distribution: Coast region of California from Sur Eiver 



northward. 

 Breeding Range: In redwood belt of coast district, from Monterey to 



Marin County. 

 Breeding Season : April. 



23 



