Page:Ornithological biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America, vol 2.djvu/580

344 the hand of man. It was quite elastic throughout, and rather wider at the bottom, probably in consequence of the natural growth of the young. The captain told me that he had seen the parents enter the stump, and that on his walking towards it he was immediately assailed, not only by the owners of the nest, but by several other pairs of the same species, all of which, however, had retired when I reached the spot. It is probable they had nests in the vicinity, but we did not succeed in finding any. The male, which was shot last, several times flew at me so close, that I attempted to catch it alive, but it always eluded my grasp with dexterity, perched on a low branch, and emitted its angry te-te-te-tee. The young I carried on board alive.

This hardy little bird resembles in its manners the other species of its interesting and beautiful tribe ; but as the habits of our Titmice are so well known, and have been so frequently spoken of by me, I shall not here trouble you with unnecessary repetitions. Its notes resemble those of our southern Black-headed Titmouse, but are much weaker.

This species is much scarcer in those parts of Labrador which I visit- ed than in Newfoundland, where I found it as abundant as our northern Black-headed Titmouse. The old and young birds were moving in groups in the direction of Nova Scotia, whither I suppose they all retire in the autumn, and where I have seen the species along the roads between Halifax and Windsor. Many breed in that province, as well as in New Brunswick, and, as I have said, in Maine, where my young friend Lix- COLN has at times found them. None have ever been seen as far south as even Massachusetts.

I have represented the male, the female, and the young, in the plu- mage in which I found them. The brown of the head is much duller in winter than in summer. The young do not acquire it until towards the spring following their birth.

Parus Hudsonicus, Lath. Index. Ornith. vol. ii. p. -506.

HuDSOSf's Bay Titmouse, Phil. Trans, vol. Ixii. p. 408 Penn. Arct. Zool. vol. ii. No. 329 Lath. Synops. vol. iv. p. 557. p. 24.

Adult Male, in summer. Plate CXCIV. Fig. 1.

Bill short, straight, of moderate strength, somewhat conical, compressed towards the end ; both mandibles with the dorsal outline a little convex, the sides sloping and slightly convex, the edges sharp, the tip