156 HUDSON'S BAY TITMOUSE. 



the parents and the young, which had leaped out on hearing the guns, we 

 sat down to examine the curious fabric the birds had reared for their brood. 



The nest was placed at the height of not more than three feet from the 

 ground, in the hollow of a decayed low stump, scarcely thicker than a man's 

 leg, the whole so rotten that it crumbled to pieces on being touched. I 

 cautiously removed the woody enclosure, and took possession of the nest, 

 which I obtained in perfect order. It was shaped like a purse, eight inches 

 in depth, two in diameter inside, its sides about half an inch thick. It was 

 entirely composed of the finest fur of different quadrupeds, but principally 

 of the great northern hare, so thickly and ingeniously matted throughout, 

 that it looked as if it had been felted by the hand of man. It was quite 

 elastic throughout, and rather wider at the bottom, probably in consequence 

 of the natural growth of the young. The captain told me that he had seen 

 the parents enter the stump, and that on his walking towards it he was 

 immediately assailed, not only by the owners of the nest, but by several 

 other pairs of the same species, all of which, however, had retired when I 

 reached the spot. It is probable they had nests in the vicinity, but we did 

 not succeed in finding any. The male, which was shot last, several times 

 flew at me so close, that I attempted to catch it alive, but it always eluded 

 my grasp with dexterity, perched on a low branch, and emitted its angry 

 te-te-te-tee. The young I carried on board alive. 



This hardy little bird resembles in its manners the other species of its 

 interesting and beautiful tribe; but as the habits of our Titmice are well 

 known, and have been already spoken of by me, I shall not here trouble you 

 with unnecessary repetitions. Its notes resemble those of the Carolina 

 Titmouse, but are much weaker. 



This species is much scarcer in those parts of Labrador which I visited 

 than in Newfoundland, where I found it as abundant as our northern Black- 

 headed Titmouse. The old and young birds were moving in groups in the 

 direction of Nova Scotia, whither I suppose they all retire in the autumn, 

 and where I have seen the species along the roads between Halifax and 

 Windsor. Many breed in that province, as well as in New Brunswick, and, 

 as I have said, in Maine, where my young friend Lincoln has at times 

 found them. None have ever been seen as far south as even Massachusetts. 



I have represented the male, the female, and the young, in the plumage in 

 which I found them. The brown of the head is much duller in winter than 

 in summer. The young do not acquire it until towards the spring following 

 their birth. 



Parcs Hudsonicus, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. p. 566. 

 Hudson's Bay Titmouse, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. ii. p. 543. 



