TUFTED TITMOUSE. 221 



FAMILY PARID^. THE TITMICE. 



Primaries ten. Base of bill with two tufts of antcorse bristly feathers ending in sim- 

 ple filaments without lateral branches concealing the nostrils.-' Tip of bill mostly un- 

 notched. Basal joint of middle toe united nearly all its lengthwith the lateral. Sides 

 of tarsus ungrooved. First primary less than half as long as the secoiid. Small — under 

 seven inches. 



Body compressed. Bill shorter than head. Wings rounded, equal to or shorter than 

 the rounded tail. Second quill as short as the tenth. Tarsus longer than the middle 

 toe and claw, which are about equal to the hinder; soles of toes widened into a palm. 

 Plumage rather soft and lax. 



Genus LOPHOPHANES. Kaup. 

 Crown with a conspicuous crest. Bill conical, both upper and lower outlines convex. 

 Wings graduated, about equal to tail ; first quill very short. Tail moderately long and 

 rounded. 



LoPHOPHANES BICOLOR (L.) Bp. 

 Tuftecl Titmouse. 



ParaB ticolor, Kirtland, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 183b, 164.— Eead, Fam. Visitor, iii, 1853, 

 335 ; Proc. Philad. Acad. Nat. Soi., vi, 1853, 395. 



Lophophanes Moolor, Wheaton, Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1860, 365 ; iJeprint, 1861, 7 ; Pood of 

 Birds, etc , Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1874, 562 ; Reprint, 1875, >i. — Lakgdon, Cat. Birds 

 of Cin^. 1877, 4; Jonrn. Cin Soo. Nat. Hist , i, 1878, 111; Reprint, 2; Revised List, 

 Journ. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 170 ; Reprint, 4; Bull. Nutt. Orn. CJub, iv, 1879, 

 116. 



Parua hicolor, Linn^us, Syst. Nat , i, 1766, 340. 

 Lophophanes bicolor, Bokapartb, Consp. Av., i, 1850, 228. 



Above leaden gray, forehead black, below lighter or whitish ; sides rusty brown. Bill 

 black; feet leaden blue. Young: the crest less developed; little if any trace of the 

 biack frontlet ; sides scarcely washed with rusty. Length, 6-6^ ; wing and tail, 3-3J. 



Habitat, Eastern United States, from Texas and Nebraska to the Connecticut Valley. 



Abundant. Resident. Breeds. This is the common Chickadee of 

 Central and Southern Ohio. Although of plain colors, its well- developed 

 crest, busy and sprightly habits, loud notes, and familiarity, make it 

 rather conspicuous. It is found almost everywhere throughout the year. 

 In winter especially it visits the city, but I am confident that it some- 

 times builds its nest in, the holes and niches of buildings. I have seen 

 them in this city throughout the breeding season, carrying materials for 

 building, and feeding their scarcely fledged young. Its ordinary note is 

 a monotonous dee, dee, dee, often repeated, as if from habit. Its song is a 

 loud whistle, resembling the syllables peto, peio, peto, in addition to which 

 it has numerous and varied notes, some of which are modifications, both 

 of the ordinary notes and of the song, others appear to be an attempt to 

 imitate other birds, the notes of the Blue Jay being frequently recognized. 



I do not think it is generally known that the Crested Titmouse has the 



