NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



481* 



730a. WHITE-NAPED NUTHATCH. Sitta pygmwa lemonucha Anthony. 

 Geog. Dist.— San Pedro Mountains, Lower California. 



The nesting habits and eggs of this race are the same as those of the last 

 species. 



731. TUPTED TITMOUSE. Parus hicolor Linn. Geog. Dist.— Eastern United 

 States to the Plains, north to Northern New Jersey and Southern Iowa; casual in 

 Southern New England. Resident throughout its breeding range. 



The Tufted Titmouse is an abundant resident in Eastern United States, as far 

 west as Eastern Kansas, and, chiefly, however, south of -40°. Its clear, loud whistling 

 song may occasionally be heard in sunny days through the winter months, but par- 

 ticularly in the early spring — in March, the mating season, for nesting usually be- 

 gins early in April. Deserted Woodpecker excavations, natural cavities of trees, or 



731. Tufted Titmouse (E. S. Cheney del.) 



those in stubs in deep or open woods are the favorite nesting sites of the Tufted 

 Titmouse. In these cavities the nest is formed of a mass of leaves, moss, corn- 

 stalks, soft, fibrous bark-strips, and the hair of cattle; this is all carried to the nesting 

 place in great mouthsful by the female bird. She has often been accused of picking 

 to pieces and carrying away the moss from hanging baskets suspended on porches. 

 Mr. O. C. Poling found a nest of this bird containing five eggs in a bor near a ruined 

 building, in the vicinity of Quincy, Illinois. From five to, eight eggs are deposited, 

 five or six being the usual numbers. I have taken three sets in Central Ohib, all 

 containing six eggs. They are of a pure white or light cream ground-color, which 

 is profusely speckled and spotted with different shades of reddish-brown, ~ Bight 

 specimens, selected on account of their sizes, measure .67X.52,- .67x.51, .69x.52, .71x.51, 



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