BLACK-CAPT TITMOUSE. ^q 



associate together during winter. They traverse the woods in 

 regular progression, from tree to tree, tumbling, chattering, 

 and hanging from the extremities of the branches, examining 

 about the roots of the leaves, buds, and crevices of the bark 

 for insects and their larva?. They also frequently visit the 

 orchards, particularly in fall, the sides of the barn and barn- 

 yard, in the same pursuit, trees in such situations being 

 generally much infested with insects. We, therefore, with 

 pleasure, rank this little bird among the farmer's friends, and 

 trust our rural citizens will always recognise him as such. 



This species has a very extensive range ; it has been found 

 on the western coast of America, as far north as lat. 62° ; it is 

 common at Hudson's Bay, and most plentiful there during 

 winter, as it then approaches the settlements in quest of food. 

 Protected by a remarkably thick covering of long, soft, downy' 

 plumage, it braves the severest cold of those northern regions. 

 - The black-capt titmouse is five inches and a half in length, 

 and six and a half in extent ; throat, and whole upper part of 

 the head and ridge of the neck, black ; between these lines a 

 triangular patch of white, ending at the nostril ; bill, black 

 and short ; tongue, truncate ; rest of the upper parts, lead 

 coloured or cinereous, slightly tinged with brown ; wings, 

 edged with white ; breast, belly, and vent, yellowish white ; 

 legs, light blue ; eyes, dark hazel. The male and female are 

 nearly alike. The figure in the plate renders any further 

 description unnecessary. 



The upper parts of the head of the young are for some 

 time of a dirty brownish tinge ; and in this state they agree 

 so exactly with the Parus Hudsonicus* described by Latham, 

 as to afford good grounds for suspecting them to be the same. 



These birds sometimes fight violently with each other, and 

 are known to attack young and sickly birds, that are incapable 

 of resistance, always directing their blows against the skull.t 

 Being in the woods one day, I followed a bird for some time, 



* Hudson Bay titmouse, Synopsis, ii. 557. 



t I have frequently heard this stated regarding the British titmice, 

 particularly the greater, but I have never been able to trace it to any 



