BIRDS — ^PAEIDAE — ^LOPHOPHANES ATEICEISTATUS. 



385 



List of specimens. 



LOPHOPHANES ATEICEISTATUS, a s s i n . 



Black-crested Tit. 



Parus tttricristatus, Cassin, Pr. Ac. Nat. So. Phila. V, Oct. 1850, 103 ; pi. ii. Texas. 

 Lophophanes atricrislatus, Cassin, lUust. I, 1853, 13 ; pi. iii. 



Sp Cb— Crest very long and pointed, (1 .35 inches) . Above ash colored. A broad band on the forehead dirty white, rest 

 of head above, with crest, black, tinged with ash on the sides. Color of the back shading insensibly into the dull ashy white of 

 the under parts. Sides of body pale brownish chestnut . Female with the crest duller black. Iris dark brown . Length, about 

 5.25 inches ; wing, 3.00. 



Hub. — Valley of the Rio Grande and south. 



This species is smaller than L. Ucolor, but the ashy of the back is of much the same shade. 

 The frontal white band is quite conspicuous. The tail is a little rounded. The bill is a good 

 deal sinuated on the edge of the upper mandible ; its color is black ; the legs dark plumbeous. 



This species is easily distinguished from L. bicolor by the white forehead and black crest. It 

 has the same rusty sides. L. inornatus differs in the plain crest, and less conspicuous frontal 

 light band, the more olivaceous tinge above, and the absence or mere trace of the brownish rusty 

 of the sides. The crest of atricristatus is much longer, narrower, and more pointed than in 

 the other two species. The bill is black, not horn color. 



As usual the southernmost specimens are smallest. 



List of specimens. 



49 b 



