TITMICE 



(731) Basolophus bicolor 



(Linn.) 



TUFTED TITMOUSE. Head 

 crested. Ads — Plumage as shown; 

 forehead black, shading into the gray 

 which covers the entire upper parts, 

 including wings and tail; below whit- 

 ish, the sides being washed with 

 rufous. L., 6.00; W., 3.10; T., 2.70; 

 B., .42. Nest — Of bark, grass, leaves 

 and feathers in holes in stumps. 



Range — Breeds from N. J., Pa., 

 Ind., 111. and la. south to the Gulf 

 coast; casual north to Conn., N. Y. 

 and Wis. f 



(732) Bseolophus atricristatus 

 atricristatus Cassin. 



BLACK-CRESTED TITMOUSE. 

 As shown by the lower bird. 



Range — Central Tex. southward. 



deciduous trees, they are quite partial to coniferous ones, 

 while the last species rarely is found in pines. 



BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES are still smaller 

 species that reside in the Southern States. They, too, show 

 a preference for coniferous trees. In winter groups of them 

 sleep close together in the dense tops of living trees and in 

 summer they make their homes in cavities of dead ones. 

 They are not at all particular about the height of the nesting 

 cavity. I have found them at all elevations from two feet 

 up to at least seventy. They are quite noisy, their nasal 

 notes taking the form of "nya, nya," etc., rapidly almost in 

 a squealing tone. 



Family PARIDyE. Titmice 



Titmice are also acrobats but they are not climbers, they 

 are dingers and are commonly seen feeding while clinging 

 head downward to the tips of outer branches. 



The TUFTED TITMOUSE, which is our largest eastern 



411 



