330 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



like it, is sometimes seen along the city streets. It has been 

 noted rather regularly in Swope Park, in the Country Club re- 

 gion, in the cemeteries and about Dodson and Independence. 



The Red-breasted Nuthatch has been noticed feeding on the 

 seeds of the large ragweed, Ambrosia triflda, which it carries to 

 fence posts and hammers open in the cracks in the timber. 



Family Paridae. Titmiee. 



Babolophus bicoloe (Linn.). Tufted Titmouse. 

 Very common resident. 



The monotonous call of the Tifted Tit is a familar sound in 

 the woods during the entire year except in the breeding season. 

 Owing to their numbers and sprightly behavior and their con- 

 tinual calling and answering, they are one of the most conspicu- 

 ous birds of the winter woods. 



They nest commonly in the outlying districts of the city in 

 bird-boxes, old woodpecker holes and other cavities, and are 

 also found in wooded tracts in all parts of the county. Six to 

 eight eggs are laid late in April and early May. 



Penthestes ateicapillus ateicapillus (Linn.). Chickadee. 

 Very common resident. 



The Chickadee, like its relative, the Tufted Titmouse, is pres- 

 ent throughout the year and is evenly distributed over the en- 

 tire county. It is probably more numerous than the latter and 

 comes into the city to feed during winter in greater numbers. 



It nests in cavities, sometimes excavated by itself at the ex- 

 pense of no little labor, and lays from five to seven, rarely eight, 

 eggs in early April. 



Penthestes ateicapillus septenteionalis (Harris). Long- 

 tailed Chickadee. 

 Somewhat rare winter visitant and probably rare resident. 



A few counties to the north, as well as twenty or thirty miles 

 to the west, this form is the common Chickadee. The few local 

 records are mostly in winter and indicate a partial migratory 

 movement of these neighboring birds. Bush reports that a few 

 are seen in the bottoms in the Courtney district during the 

 entire year and that he considers the bird a regular breeder. 

 The local records are chiefly from the Missouri bottoms. 



