506 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Penthestes carolinensis carolinensis (Audubon) 



Carolina Chickadee 



Parus carolinensis Audubon. Orn. Biog. 1834. 2:341 



DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 61, fig. 123 

 Penthestes carolinensis carolinensis A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 3. 

 igio- P- 35°- No. 736 



Description. In color very similar to the common chickadee, but smaller; the wing 

 coverts not margined with whitish; the wing and tail feathers with very little white visible. 

 Length 4.06-4.75 inches; wing 2.2-2.48; tail 1.88-2. 12; bill .30-32. 



Distribution. This little Chickadee inhabits the southeastern United States from 

 central Missouri, Indiana, central Ohio, Pennsylvania and central New Jersey south to 

 southeastern Louisiana and the gulf coast. Although it has been referred to New York 

 State by several writers, there are no actual specimens of the species taken within our 

 borders. According to Mr Dewitt Miller, of the American Museum of Natural History, 

 who has found it in neighboring parts of New Jersey and is familiar with its notes and 

 habits, there are no chickadees on Staten Island, or in the lower Hudson valley which he 

 has suspected of belonging to this species. Nevertheless, it is possible it may yet be taken 

 on Staten Island and the neighboring portions of the State; 



Haunts and habits. Mr Chapman describes the whistled call of the Carolina chick- 

 adee as consisting of four tremulous notes instead of the two clear notes of the northern 

 bird, and notes a substantial difference in its other calls, one of which sounds to his ears 

 like the words " my watcher key, my watcher key." Doctor Richmond states that the 

 " chickadee call of carolinensis is higher pitched and more hurriedly given than 

 that of atricapillus," and that the whistle consists of three notes. Mr Brewster 

 says the " low, plaintive tswee-dee-tswe-dee of the Carolina chickadee contrasts sharply 

 with the ringing te-derry of its northern cousin." 



Penthestes hudsonicus littoralis (H. Bryant) 

 Acadian Chickadee 



Plate 103 

 (Arcadian chicadee, in error, on plate) 



Parus hudsonicus, var. littoralis Bryant. Proc. Bost. Soc. N. H. 1865. 



9:368 

 Penthestes hudsonicus littoralis A. 0. U. Check List. Ed. 3. 1910. 



p. 351. No. 740a 



hudsonicus, Lat., Hudsonian; littordlis, of the coast, that is, the Acadian district 



Description. Upper parts ashy brown; the back similar to the crown 

 but lighter; wings and tail grayish; throat black; sides of the head, the breast 

 and the belly, white; sides rufous; in size the same as the common chickadee. 



