194 Contributions from the Charleston Museum. 



FAMILY PARIDjE: TITMICE. 

 297. Baeolophus bicolor (Linn.). Tufted Titmouse. 



The Tufted Titmouse is a permanent resident and breeds abun- 

 dantly in heavily timbered regions. The breeding season seems 

 to be much later now than it was twenty-five years ago. On 

 April 18, 1884, I examined a nest containing six young almost 

 ready to fly, while on April 14 of the same year, a nest with six 

 fresh eggs was found. These observations were made at Hob- 

 caw plantation, Christ Church Parish. In more recent years 

 full complements of eggs have been taken on the following dates: 

 April 21, 1897, six eggs; April 26, 1899, seven fresh eggs; April 

 21, 1900, six fresh eggs; April 22, 1902, seven eggs; and April 

 30, 1902, five slightly incubated eggs. 



This species deposits its eggs in natural cavities of trees or in 

 deserted holes of the smaller woodpeckers and does not appear 

 to excavate a hole for itself. It seems to have a preference for 

 hollows in chinquapin and dogwood trees, and the hole ranges 

 from four to forty-five feet above the ground. While nest-build- 

 ing, the birds carry large quantities of material at every trip and 

 one generally accompanies the other to and from the site. The 

 nest is composed of wool, cotton, hair, leaves, fibrous bark, and 

 snake skins, the last article being indispensable to this species, 

 as it is to the Crested Flycatcher. From five to seven eggs are 

 laid, and these are white or creamy white, speckled, and spotted 

 with reddish brown and lilac shell markings, and measure .75 X .52. 

 Some specimens are of a light buff color flecked with russet. 

 The birds are the closest of sitters and have to be removed from 

 the nest before it can be examined. Only one brood is raised 

 and these follow their parents for many months. 



Although this species is supposed to breed only in cavities of 

 trees, I found a pair breeding in festoons of the Spanish moss 

 and herewith transcribe the account which I published in the 

 Auk: 1 



On April 23, 1896, I noticed a Tufted Titmouse with its mouth full of building 

 materials, and upon following it closely saw it fly into a very large mass of Span- 

 ish moss (Tillandsia usenoides) . When it appeared again after depositing the 

 nesting materials I was very much surprised to find that there was no hollow what- 

 ever where the moss was growing. It was followed by its mate, and made ten 

 trips to the tree in less than fifteen minutes. Having had a good deal of experi- 

 ence with this species when nesting I knew it was characteristic of this bird to 



« XIV, 1897, 98. 



