138 



CRESTED TITMOUSE 



bay; and, according to Latham, is found in Denmark, and in the 

 southern parts of Greenland, where it is called Avingarsak. If 

 so, it probably inhabits the continent of North America from sea 

 to sea. 



The Crested Titmouse is six inches long, and seven inches 

 and a half in extent ; the whole upper parts a dull cinereous, or 

 lead color, except the front which is black, tinged with reddish; 

 whole lower parts dirty white, except the sides under the wings, 

 which are reddish orange; legs and feet light blue; bill black, 

 short and pretty strong; wing feathers relieved with dusky on 

 their inner vanes ; eye dark hazel ; lores white ; the head elegantly 

 ornamented with a high, pointed, almost upright crest ; tail a little 

 forked, considerably concave below, and of the same color above 

 as the back ; tips of the wings dusky ; tongue very short, truncate, 

 and ending in three or four sharp points. The female cannot be 

 distinguished from the male by her plumage, unless in its being 

 something duller, for both are equally marked with reddish orange 

 on the sides under the wings, which some foreigners have made 

 the distinguishing mark of the male alone. 



The nest is built in a hollow tree, the cavity often dug by 

 itself; the female begins to lay early in May; the eggs are usuall) 

 six, pure white, with a few very small specks of red near the great 

 end. The whole family, in the month of July, hunt together, the 

 parents keeping up a continual chatter, as if haranguing and di* 

 reeling their inexperienced brood. 



