372 CHESTNUT-BACKED TITMOUSE.
retirement they vear their young, and for the: whole of .the succeeding
autumn and winter remain probably together in families, When the
gun thins their ranks, iVis surprising to%èe the courage, anxiety, and
solicitude of thesis little creatures : they1 pillow yjou with their walling
scold, and" entreat for their companions in a manner that impresses
you with a favourable idea, of their social feelings and^sympatliy."
Dr^IiowNsF.Ni) says, tìiat"^ the Chinook Indians call this species «
kul. It inhabits the forests of the Columbia River, where it breeds and
goes in Hooks in the autumn, more or loss gregarious through the season.
The legs and feet are light blue.-^
Ijahus rófehceìì3, Chestnut-backed Titmouse, Totmmwd, Joiiin. Acad. of Natural
Sciences of Philadelphia, vol. vii. p. 190.
Aduli Male. Plate CCCLIII. Fig. 1.
Bill very short,, straight, strong, compressed, rather acute; : both
mandibles with the dorsal line slightly convex, the; sides sloping and
convex, the edges sharp. thi;;tip of the upper scarcely longer. Nostrils
basal, roundish, concealed b.v the recumbent feathers. Head large,
ovate : neck short ; body rather robust. Feet of ordinary length, robust.:
tarsus compressed, with seven anterior scutella, and two lateral
plates mooting behind so as to'l'orni a thin edge : toes large, the three
anterior united as far as' the second joint, the hind one much stronger,
and with its claw as long as the third. Claws large, arched, much compresseti,
acute.
Plumage blended,..tufty, unglossed. Wings of moderate length,
. the fourth and fifth quills equal and longest, the sixth scarcely shorter,
the third andijeventh equal, thejgocoud arid eighth equal, the first very
. short, being only half the length of (he second. Tail. long, slender,
arched, very slightly emarginate, or with its tip divaricate, of .twelve
ather narrow feathers.
Bill brownish-black, with the edges and tip paler. Foot greyishblue
-: claws paler. Head and neck, and fore part of the sides, darkbrown,
with a broad longitudinal band of white on each side, from the
bill under thè eye, curving up on the shoulders and almost meeting on
thè back ; which, including the; rump, is bright chestnut, as are the
•sides under the wings ; the middle of. the breast and abdomen greyish-
CHESTNUT-BACKED TITMOUSE. 373
white, the lower tuil-covcrts tinged with chestnut. Wings and tail
brownish-grey, the smaller coverts tinged with chestnut, the secondary
coverts margined and tipped with greyish-white, of which colour also
are the outer edges, of the quills, except the »first; tail leathers faintly
margined with bluish-grey. '
l.cngth to end of,.tail 4 | inches ; wing from flexure 2f ; tail 1,'J ;
bill along the ridge ft ; tarsus ft; hinil toe ft, its claw fy ; middle
toe ft, its claw ft.
Adult Female. Plate CCCMII. Fig. 2.
The Female is similar to the male.