394 
U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS-ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
PARUS MONT ANUS, G a m b e 1. 
Parus montanus, Gambel, Pr. A. N. Sc. I, April, 1843, 259, (Santa Fe.)— Ib. Pr. A. N. Sc. Ill, Feb. 1847, 
155.— Ib. Jour. A. N. Sc. 2d series, I, Dec. 1847, 35; pi. viii, f. 1.— Cassin, Ulust. I, 1853,18. 
Sp. Ch. —Head and neck above, with under part of head and throat, glossy black ; forehead, line above the eye and one 
below it, involving the auriculars, white. These stripes embracing between them a black line through the eye and confluent 
with the black of the head. Above ashy ; beneath similar, but paler ; the upper part of breast and middle line of belly white. 
Length about 5 inches ; wing, 2.60 ; tail, 2.40. 
Hub. —Pacific coast of United States, probably to the Rocky mountains. 
In this species the tail is nearly square ; the outer feather a very little shorter. The fourth, 
fifth, and sixth quills are equal; the third less than the seventh ; the second rather shorter 
than the secondaries. The whole side of the head from the hill is whitish ; this color margins 
the black of the neck all the way to its extremity on the upper part of the hack, where it is 
duller. A black line commences within the white just anterior to the eye, in a line below with 
the lower eyelid and above a little above the upper lid. The quills and tail feathers are 
margined paler, hut there is no white, especially on the secondaries.- 
This species may he very readily distinguished from P. atricapillus by the white front and 
the white line over the eye cutting off a black one through it. The general colors above are 
purer ash ; below the sides are ashy instead of yellowish brown white. The white on the head 
has rather a bluish tinge. 
A specimen, apparently of this species, from Medicine Bow creek, (5643,) though marked 
female, is larger than those from California, as shown by the measurements. I can detect no 
other difference, except that the black on the neck appears more restricted. A female from 
Fort Tejon lacks the whitish of the forehead, the black of the crown coming down to the bill. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by— 
4390 
Fort Dalles, Oregon. 
Feb.—, 1855... 
Dr. Suckley.---------_ 
171 
3894 
California___ 
Dr. Heermann_ 
6800 
3 
3 
Tejon pass_ 
Lieut. Williamson__ 
6801 
Fort Tejon_ 
J. X. de Vesey___ 
6798 
Mimbres to Rio Grande.. 
Dr. T. C. Henry_ 
6799 
5643 
O 
Medicine Bow creek, Neb. 
Aug. 7, 1856_ 
Lieut. Dryan___ 
222 
W. S. Wood. 
PARUS RUFESCENS, Towns. 
Cliestnut-backed Tit. 
Parus rufescens, Townsend, J. A. N. Sc. Phil. VII, ii, 1837, 190.— Audubon, Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 371; pi. 
353.— Ib. Birds Am. II, 1841, 158 ; pi. 129.— Cassin, Illust. I, 1853, 18. 
Poecila rufescens, Bon. Consp. 1850, 230. 
Sp. Ch. —Whole head and neck above, and throat from bill to upper part of breast, sooty blackish brown. Sides of head 
and neck, upper part of breast, and middle of body, white ; back and sides dark brownish chestnut. Length, 4.75 inches; 
wing, 2.36 ; tail, 2.16. 
Hah ,—Pacific coast of the United States, 
