158 



CHESTNUT-BACKED TITMOUSE. 



-fPAEUS RUFESCENS, ToWUS. 



PLATE CXXIX.— Male and Female. 



Mr. Nuttall's notice respecting the present species is as follows: — 

 "The Chestnut-backed Titmouse is seen throughout the year in the forests 

 of the Columbia, and as far south as Upper California, in all which tract it 

 breeds, forming, as I have some reason to believe, a pendulous, or at least an 

 exposed nest, like some of the European species. It is made of large 

 quantities of hypna and lichens, and copiously and coarsely lined with deer's 

 hair and large feathers, such as those of the Grouse and the Jay. They are 

 commonly seen in small flocks of all ages in the autumn and winter, when 

 they move about briskly, and emit a number of feeble querulous notes, after 

 the manner of the Chickadee, or common species, Parus atricajnllus, but 

 seldom utter any thing like a song, though now and then, as they glean 

 about, they utter a t'she, de, de, or t'dee, t'dee, dee, their more common 

 querulous call, however, being like t'she, de, de, vait, t'she, de, de, vait, 

 sometimes also a confused warbling chatter. The busy troop, accompanied 

 often by the common species, the Regulus tricolor, and the small yellow- 

 bellied Parus, are seen flitting through bushes and thickets, carefully 

 gleaning insects and larvae for an instant, and are then off to some other 

 place around, proceeding with restless activity to gratify the calls of hunger 

 and the stimulus of caprice. Thus they are seen to rove along for miles 

 together, until satisfied or fatigued, when they retire to rest in the recesses 

 of the darkest forests, situations which they eventually choose for their 

 temporary domicile, where in solitude and retirement they rear their young, 

 and for the whole of the succeeding autumn and winter remain probably 

 together in families. When the gun thins their ranks, it is surprising to see 

 the courage, anxiety, and solicitude of these little creatures: they follow you 

 with their Availing scold, and entreat for their companions in a manner that 

 impresses you with a favourable idea of their social feelings and sympathy." 

 Mr. Townsend says, that "the Chinook Indians call this species a kul. 

 It inhabits the forests of the Columbia river, where it breeds and goes in 

 flocks in the autumn, more or less gregarious through the season. The legs 

 and feet are light blue." 



