229 
habits are a queer eompound, and, though often suggestive of the Titmice, with which, 
too, its colors are somewhat correspondent, they yet resemble still more closely the 
Wrens, while the bird has characteristics borrowed from neither of its prototypes, but 
all its own. 
I first saw the species in July, in a tangled growth of vines and bushes, close to the 
seashore near Santa Barbara. So careful, however, were they to keep themselves close 
within the friendly shelter of matted undergrowth that, though I made out from their 
voluble sputterings that a whole family was there congregated, I was unable to push 
a very close acquaintance. Subsequently I found another group in a small cluster of 
willows that fringed a mountain-rivulet near Fort Tejon. A few faint, querulous, sput¬ 
terings from the center of the clump first attracted my attention, aud, sitting down, I 
awaited patiently till I could catch a glimpse of their authors. After a few moments 
further silence on my part they began to approach nearer and nearer, till, ere long, I 
saw one little brown bunch of feathers balancing itself on the upright stem of a wil¬ 
low and peering cautiously about, all the while communing with itself and its fellows 
in quaint undertones. They appear to be fond of each others’ society, and socially 
inclined toward other birds of very different habits, for I never saw or heard one with¬ 
out soon learning of the presence of others hard by, while, late in the fall, I often 
found several adding their quota to the flocks of Sparrows and Snowbirds in their 
journeyings through the chaparral thickets on the mountain-sides. 
They spend most of their time seeking food about the roots of bushes, and especially 
apt were they to be found in willow-clumps along the stream. Enough of their time 
is passed upon and near the ground to make the name of Ground Wren an appropriate 
one. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
Date. 
Collector. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Bill. 
Tarsus. 
380 
9 ad. 
Tejon Mountains, Cal. 
Aug. 17 
H. W. Henshaw. 
1.27 
3.22 
0. 40 
1. 00 
399 
cf ad. 
.do. 
Aug. 19 
_do. 
2. 43 
3. 98 
0. 42 
1. 04 
400 
9 ad. 
.do. 
Aug. 19 
__do. 
2. 40 
3. 60 
0. 40 
1. 03 
688 
d 
Walker’s Basin, Cal. 
Nov. 10 
_do. 
2. 40 
3. 40 
0. 43 
1.00 
704 
d ad. 
.do. 
Nov. 10 
_do. 
2. 45 
3. 73 
0. 43 
1. 00 
705 
9 
.do. 
Nov. 11 
_do. 
2. 35 
3. 58 
0. 43 
0. 88 
PARiDiE.—T itmice. 
13. Lophophanes inornatns, (Gamb).—Gray-tufted Titmouse. 
This species appears to be a resident throughout Southern California, and is numer¬ 
ous here, as indeed almost everywhere in the Tar West. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
Date. 
Collector. 
146 
d jnn. 
d • 
d 
9 
Santa Barbara, Cal. 
June 29 
"FT. W. TTenalmw. 
249 
Ojai Creek, Cal. 
July 17 
July 27 
Aug. 7 
A lip-, 10 
Do. 
264 
Fort Tejon, Cal... 
Do. 
322 
.do. 
Do. 
353 
d jnn. 
d ad. 
9 
.do. 
Do. 
393 
.do. 
Aug. 17 
Nov. 5 
Do. 
658 
Walker’s Basin, Cal...... 
Do. 
14. Parus montanus, Gamb.—Mountain Chickadee. 
This appears to be the commonest representative of its tribe in Southern California, 
inhabiting chiefly the coniferous regions, and rarely descending to the low country. 
The Parus occidentalis appears not to occur in the southern portion of the State; none 
at least were detected by us, nor do I find it quoted from this region. Its proper hab¬ 
itat is the Columbia River region and to the northward. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
Date. 
Collector. 
489 
9 
Near Mount Whitney, Cal....... 
Sept. 19 
Sept. 19 
Oct. 7 
H. W. Henshaw. 
490 
d jnn. 
d 
9 
.do. 
Do. 
522 
North Fork Kern River, Cal. 
Do. 
523 
.do. 
Oct. 7 
Do. 
524 
( f 
.do. 
Oct. 7 
Do. 
525 
cf 
.do. 
Oct. 7 
Do. 
550 
9 
Near Mount Whitnej’, Cal. 
Oct. 10 
Do. 
AP. JJ— 15 
