150 
BLACK-CAP TITMOUSE. 
Woodpeckers ; but this is not the case, in so far as I have examined them; 
and in this my observations are confirmed by those of Dr. Brewer ol 
Boston and Mr. M'Culloch of Halifax, who also have inspected nests of 
this species. The eggs rarely exceed eight in number ; they measure live- 
eighths of an inch in length, by three-eighths and three-quarters, are rather 
- pointed at the smaller end, white, slightly sprinkled with minute dots and 
markings of light reddish. Those for the first brood are deposited from the 
middle of April to that of May ; for the second about two months later. 
The parents I have thought generally move along with the young of the 
second brood. 
Dr. Brewer says, “on the 20th of June I found in a single Titmouse’s 
hole a mass of the hair of the common skunk and moss large enough to 
weigh two or more ounces, and sufficient to construct a nest for some of 
our larger birds, such for instance as Wilson’s Thrush.” 
Mr. M‘Cullock found a nest of this bird placed about two feet from the 
ground in a small stump, which seemed to have been excavated by the birds 
themselves. It contained six young, and was lined entirely with the hair 
which cattle, in rubbing themselves, had left upon the stump. 
The flight of this species, like that of all our American Titmice, is short, 
fluttering, generally only from tree to tree, and is accompanied with a mur- 
muring sound produced by the concavity of the wings. It is seldom seen 
on the ground, unless when it has followed a fruit that has fallen, or when 
searching for materials for its nest. It usually roosts in its nest during 
winter, and in summer amid the close foliage of firs or evergreens. In 
winter, indeed, as well as often in autumn, it is seen near the farm-houses, 
and even in villages and towns, busily seeking for food among the trees. 
“On seeing a cat, or other object of natural antipathy,” says Mr. Nuttall, 
“ the Chickadee, like the peevish Jay, scolds in a loud, angry, and hoarse note, 
Hslie, ddigh ddigh ddigh. Among the other notes of this species, I have 
heard a call like tshe-de-jay, tshe-de-jay, the two first syllables being a 
slender chirp, with the jay strongly pronounced. The^only note of this 
bird which may be called a song, is one which is frequently heard at intervals 
in the depths of the forest, at times of day usually when all other birds are 
silent. We then may sometimes hear in the midst of this solitude two 
feeble, drawling, clearly whistled, and rather melancholy notes like ’ te-derry, 
and sometimes ye-perrit, and occasionally, but more rarely in the same wiry, 
whistling, solemn tone, ’ pliebe . The young in winter also sometimes drawl 
out these contemplative strains. In all cases the first syllable is very high 
and clear, the second word drops low, and ends like a feeble plaint. This is 
nearly all the quaint song ever attempted by the Chickadee. On fine days, 
about the commencement of October, I have heard the Chickadee sometimes, 
