" Birds of Wefctern North Oarolii: a 



WiUiajii Br^WBler. 



95. Parus atricapillus. Black-capped Chickadee. — This northern 

 species, which, if I am not mistaken, has never been previously found 

 south of Virginia, proved to be not uncommon in the 'balsam' belt of the 

 Black Mountains. Its notes and habits here were precisely the same as at 

 the North, and very different from those of P. caroUnensis, with which it 

 mingled along the lower borders of its range. Like most of the birds in- 

 habiting these mountains, it was exceedingly shy, so much so indeed that I 

 had the greatest ditficulty in getting specimens. These represent two pairs, 

 ofwhich both females were incubating. All four differ from northern exam- 

 ples in being smaller, with much slenderer, more acute bills, and generally 

 deeper, browner tints, especially on the back and sides, which are nearly 

 as richly colored as in autumnal specimens from New England. These 

 characteristics, if constant, should perhaps entitle the North Carolina form 

 to subspecific recognition. 



Aukt 8. Aprtl, 1880. p. 177 



