Species II. PAR US B ICO LOR, 
CRESTED TITMOUSE. 
[Plate VIII. Fig. 5.] 
Parus hicolor, Linn. Syst. i., 544, L— La Mesange huppe'e cle la Caroline, Burr, v., 
451.— Toupet Titmouse, Arci. Zool. i., No. 324.— Lath. Syn. iv., 544, 11. 
This is another associate of the preceding species ; but more noisy, 
more musical, and more suspicious, though rather less active. It is, 
nevertheless, a sprightly bird, possessing a remarkable variety in the 
tones of its voice, at one time not much louder than the squeaking of a 
mouse, and in a moment after whistling aloud, and clearly, as if calling 
a clog ; and continuing this dog-call through the woods for half an hour 
at a time. Its high, pointed crest, or as Pennant calls it, toupet, gives 
it a smart and not inelegant appearance. Its food corresponds with that 
of the foregoing ; it possesses considerable strength in the muscles of its 
neck, and is almost perpetually digging into acorns, nuts, crevices, and 
rotten parts of the bark, after the larvae of insects. It is also a con- 
stant resident here. When shot at and wounded, it fights with great 
spirit. When confined to a cage it soon becomes familiar, and will sub- 
sist on hemp-seed, cherry-stones, apple seeds, and hickory nuts, broken 
and thrown in to it. However, if the cage be made of willows, and the 
bird not much hurt, he will soon make his way through them. The 
great concavity of the lower side of the wings and tail of this genus of 
birds, is a strong characteristic, and well suited to their short irregular 
flight. 
This species is also found over the whole United States ; but is most 
numerous towards the north. It extends also to Hudson's Bay ; and, 
according to Latham, is found in Denmark, and in the southern parts 
of Greenland, where it is called Avingarsale. 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 
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