PARUS ATRICAPILLUS. 
216 
woods in regular progression, from tree to tree, 
bling, chattering, and hanging from the extremities 
the branches, examining about the roots of the 1®®^ 
buds, and nrevioes of the hark, for insects and the', 
larvaj. They also frequently visit the orchards, 
cularly in fall, the sides of the barn and harn-yardi ^ 
the same pursuit, trees in such situations being 
rally much infested with insects. We, therefore, **\ 
pleasure, rank this little bird among the farmer’s t>’’*‘ . 
and trust our rural citizens nil! always recognize h> 
as such. 
This species has a very extensive range ; it has 
found on the western coast of America as far north ^ 
lat. 62°; it is common at Hudson’s Bay, and 
plentiful there during winter, as it then approaches 
settlements in quest of food. Protected by a rein®®jj 
ably thick covering of long-, soft, downy ])lumage. 
braves the severest cold of those northern regions, ju 
The hlack-capt titmouse is tive inches and a ban ^ 
length, and six and a half in extent; throat, and "*'?.• 
upper part of the head and ridge of the neck, hh'n'jjj 
between these lies a triangular patch of white, end'“ 
at the nostril ; hill, black and short ; tongue, trunen*^' 
rest of the upper parts, lead coloured or ciueren®'^ 
slightly tinged with brown ; n iiigs, edged with 
breast, belly, and vent, yellowish white; legs, h? 
blue ; eyes, dark hazel. The male and female ^ 
nearly alike. 
arc 
0 
The upper parts of the head of the young <>-- 
some time of a dirty brownish tinge; and in this st®| 
they agree so exactly n ith the parvs h'udsonic^'^ . 
described by Latham, as to afford good grounds ’ 
suspecting them to he the same. .j, 
These birds sometimes fight violently with e®^^ 
other, and ar<! known to attack young and sickly h'^jf 
that are incapable of resistance, always directing o' ^ 
blows ag-ainst the skull. Being in the woods one 
I followed a bird for some time, the singularity 
* Hudson Bay Titmouse, Synopsis, ii, 557. 
