PARIDiE, TITMICE OE CHICKADEES. GEN. 13, 14. 



81 



y 



'd \ 



Fig. 25. Blaok-cappefl Chickadee; 

 nearly natural size. 



throat pure black; sides of head and neck white, commonly striped with 

 black in two or three places ; crest like back, margined with black ; smallest ; 

 5-54 ; wing and tail about 2 J ; young with the 

 black head-markings obscure. New Mexico, 

 Arizona, and southward. Cass., 111., 19; Bd., 

 386; Coop., 43 wollweberi. 



13. Genus PARUS Linnaeus. 



* Crown and nape, with chin and throat, black, 

 separated by ashy or whitish ; above brownish 'or 

 grayish ash, often with faint olivaceous tinge ; below 

 whitish or rusty or brownish shaded on sides ; wings 

 and tail plain, more or less whitish-edged. 



t No white superciliary line. 



Titmouse. Blade-capped Ohichadee. Average 

 dimensions: — Length 5^; extent 8^; wing and 

 tail, each, 2 J ; tarsus 7-10. Extremes: — 

 Length 4f-5 J ; extent 7^-8 J ; wing and tail 

 2^-2-1- ; tarsus |-f . North America. Every- 

 where abundant. Wils., i, 137, pi. 8, f. 4 ; Aud., ii, 146, pi. 126 ; Nutt., 

 i, 244; Bd., 390 ateicapillus. 



Var. septentrionalis. Long-tailed Chickadee. Averaging larger ; paler below, 

 and less shaded on sides ; wings and tail much edged with whitish ; tail longer 

 compared with the wings (nearly or quite 3). Missouri and Eocky Mountain re- 

 gion. Cass., 111., 80, pi. 14 ; Bd., 389. 



Var. CAKOLiNENSis. Carolina Titmouse. Averaging sroaller than P. atrica- 

 pillus ; wings and tail less edged with whitish. Eastern United States, southerly. 

 Ann., ii, 152, pi. 127 ; Bd., 392. 



Var. occiDENTALis. Western Titmouse. Size of the first ; said to be darker, 

 with longer tarsi. Pacific Coast. Bd., 391. 



tf A distinct white line in the black over eyes and across forehead. 

 y Mountain Ohichadee. Otherwise exactly like P. atricapillus. Eocky 

 Mountains to Pacific. Bd., 394; Elliot, pi. 2; Coop., 46. . montanus. 



** Body with chestnut brown ; chin and throat brownish-black. 

 -.- Hiidsonian Ghiclcadee. Pale olive-brown ; crown similar but browner ; 

 below on sides, and behind, pale chestnut. About 5 ; wing 2 J, tail 2-|. 

 British America into Noi-thern States (Alaska, Dull). Aud., ii, 155, pi. 

 123 ; Bd., 395. Var. littoralis is described from Nova Scotia, hudsonius. 

 ' ''■' Chestnut-hached Chickadee. Crown, nape and throat alike in color, sooty 

 brown ; back and sides chestnut. Under 5 ; wiug 2J, tail less. Pacific 

 coast. Aud., ii, 158, pL 129; Bd., 394; Coop., 47. . . . rufescens. 



14. Genus PSALTRIPAEUS Bonaparte. 

 Dwarfs among pygmies ! 8f-4^ long ; wing 2 or less, tail 2 or more ; ashy or 



KEY TO N. A. BIRDS. 11 



