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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
Sitta pygmaea* — (Vigors) . 
California Nuthatch. —An abundant little bird along tbe entire length of 
the Boundary line from the coast to the Bocky Mountains, also common on Van¬ 
couver Island; you always see these little fellows in large flocks in company with 
the chickadees, except during the nesting time, which is in June. A few remain 
about Colville during the winter, but the greater portion leave in November and 
December: they continually fly from tree to tree, having a low twittering cry, 
and run along the under sides of the branches searching for insects. Nests in June, 
making a hole in the dead branch of a pine tree; no lining in the hole, but the 
eggs are laid on the dust made in enlarging or boring the hole. 
They range north to Fort Simpson, and south through Oregon and California. 
This applies to all three species. 
Pams occiclentalis. — (Baird.) 
Western Titmouse. Common on Vancouver Island and along the- whole 
course of the Boundary line to the summit of the Bocky Mountains. A few 
remain during the winter at Colville, but the greater portion leave in November and 
arrive again in April; nests in June, choosing a hole in a dead tree, lines the nest 
with grass and feathers; after the nesting time they assemble in large flocks and 
feed in company with the mountain tit and the golden-crested wrens, they keep 
together until they take their departure south. 
Pams montanus .— (Gambel.) 
Mountain Titmouse. This bird has just the same range and distribution as 
the preceding, and exactly agrees with it in habit, periods of migration, and nesting 
time, but it is not nearly as plentiful. 
Pams rufescens .— (Towns.) 
Chestnut-backed Titmouse. This little fellow is very abundant on the 
Sumass prairies, and along the banks of the Fraser river, but rare between the 
Cascades and Bocky Mountains; I met with it only twice, once at Colville in 
company with a flock of golden-crested wrens, and once at Siniakwateen; hence 
I am disposed to think it is more common along the coast line than in the interior. 
It arrives in May, and leaves again in September. I never found its nest. The 
northern range of these tits is about Fort Simpson, and south through Oregon and 
California. 
EremojjJdla cornuta .— (Baird.) 
Sky-lark—Shore-lark. A few of these birds remain along the sea shore at 
Vancouver Island during the winter, but I first observed them at Colville in flocks, 
in April and May; they remained only a few days, went north, and returned again in 
September, going south. These birds breed in large numbers on the sandy plains, 
laying between the Spokan river and the Dalis; they begin nesting before the snow 
is off the ground, and I saw young birds in May. On our first trip from the Dalis 
to Colville, we camped at a place called Cedar springs; the only water within a long 
distance of us was a small stream that spouted out from a bank in the midst of a 
sandy desert. It was curious to see these shore-larks actually coming in among 
the legs of the men and mules to drink; intense thirst appeared to dispel all sense 
of fear. Having carefully compared a large series of specimens shot at different 
periods of the year and at different camps along the line, I am quite convinced there 
is but one species, and that species the same in every particular as the Eastern bird. 
