CHESTNUT-BACKED TITMOUSE. 159 



Parus rufescens, Chestnut-backed Titmouse, Towns. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phila- 

 delphia, vol. vii. p. 190. 

 Chestnut-backed Titmouse, Parus rufescens, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iv. p. 871. 



Adult Male. 



Bill very short, straight, strong, compressed, rather acute; both mandibles 

 with the dorsal line slightly convex, the sides sloping and convex, the edges 

 sharp, the tip of the upper scarcely longer. Nostrils basal, roundish, 

 concealed by the recumbent feathers. Head large, ovate; neck short; body 

 rather robust. Feet of ordinary length, robust; tarsus compressed, with 

 seven anterior scutella, and two lateral plates meeting behind so as to form a 

 thin edge; toes large, the three anterior united as far as the second joint, the 

 hind one much stronger, and with its claw as long as the third. Claws large, 

 arched, much compressed, acute. 



Plumage blended, tufty, unglossed. Wings of moderate length, the fourth 

 and fifth quills equal and longest, the sixth scarcely shorter, the third and 

 seventh equal, the second and eighth equal, the first very short, being only 

 half the length of the second. Tail long, slender, arched, very slightly 

 emarginate, or with its tip divaricate, of twelve rather narrow feathers. 



Bill brownish-black, with the edges and tip paler. Feet greyish-blue; 

 claws paler. Head and neck, and fore part of the sides, dark brown, with a 

 broad longitudinal band of white on each side, from the bill under the eye, 

 curving up on the shoulder, and almost meeting on the back; which, including 

 the rump, is bright chestnut, as are the sides under the wings; the middle of 

 the breast and abdomen greyish-white, the lower tail-coverts tinged with 

 chestnut. Wings and tail brownish-grey, the smaller coverts tinged with 

 chestnut, the secondary coverts margined and tipped with greyish-white, of 

 which colour also are the outer edges of the quills, except the first; tail- 

 feathers faintly margined with bluish-grey. 



Length to end of tail 4j inches; wing from flexure 2§; tail lf|; bill along 

 the ridge ft; tarsus y|; hind toe yf , its claw T %; middle toe -ff, its claw -ff . 



Adult Female. 



The Female is similar to the male. 



