1912] Taylor: Birds and Reptiles of Northern Nevada. 419 



chickadees were observed, nine in one, seven approximately in 

 the other. They appeared either in the limber pines or in the 

 quaking aspens, though they seemed to prefer the pines. 



The song which may be rendered by the syllables ' ' wheetle ! 

 tootle ! tiih ! " " wheetle ! tootle ! tiih ! ' ' was the one most fre- 

 quently heard. 



Psaltriparus plumbeus (Baird) 

 Lead-colored Bush-tit 



Distribution. — Not common anywhere along the route. Two 

 individuals were seen May 26 in the sagebrush at the mouth of 

 the low wide Wheeler Creek Canon. At Quinn River Crossing 

 a small company was seen in the sagebrush on June 2. In the 

 vicinity of Big Creek Ranch they were confined, apparently, to a 

 rather restricted portion of the course of the stream, namely, from 

 about 4400 feet to 5000 feet altitude, their range here being 

 practically coextensive with that of the spurred towhee. Later 

 in the season a few flocks of from six to twenty-five individuals 

 each were observed higher in the mountains, e.g., fifteen were 

 seen on the Duffer Peak Meadow (8400 feet), in a grove of 

 quaking aspens. Zonally their distribution was lower Transition, 

 perhaps invading Upper Sonoran at times. 



Habits. — The solicitude and as a rule the unsuspicious nature 

 of the bush-tits were very marked. If anything happened to 

 one individual, the others remained in the vicinity, twittering 

 and whistling to one another. A number of young birds were 

 secured, the first being taken at Quinn River Crossing on June 2. 



Some of the bush-tits noted were shy. Their call-notes 

 seemed to differ slightly from those of Psaltriparus minimus 

 californic.us. 



In the lower parts of the mountains they evinced a prefer- 

 ence for the thickets along the streams, taking to the sage if 

 pressed closely. Upon the higher mountain slopes the quaking 

 aspens were preferred. 



Regulus calendula calendula (Linnaeus) 

 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 

 Conspicuously absent from the mountains. On May 13 one 

 was seen in a willow on Chimney Creek near Amos post-office. 



