“I observed it almost entirely in trees bordering streams of water, the females and young males invariably having the crest of the same cinereous color as their general plumage, but in the latter slightly tinged with brown. It occurred in small parties, appeared to be very sociable and lively in its habits, and in general appearance and in nearly all its notes which I heard, it so very much resembled the common crested chickadee of the Northern States as scarcely to be recognized as a distinct species at a short distance.”
The collection made by Dr. Woodhouse contains fine specimens of this bird, from a male and female of which, and from Mr. Audubon’s specimens, our plate has been prepared. We have represented both sexes about three-fourths of the natural size.
The plant figured is the Phlox Drummondii, a beautiful species which is a native of New Mexico and California.
DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.
Genus Lophophanes. Kaup Skiz. Entw. Eur. Thierw. (1829.) Lophophanes atricristatus. (Cassin.) Parus atricristatus. Cassin. Proc. Acad. Philada. Vol. V., p. 103, (Oct. 1850.)
Form. With a high pointed crest, bill rather strong and acute. Wings long, with the fourth and fifth primaries longest, and nearly equal; tail rather long.
Dimensions of a skin from Quihi, Texas. Total length, from tip of bill to end of tail, about 6 inches; wing 3; tail 2¾ inches.
Colors. Male. Crest, black; body, wings and tail above, cinereous; darker on the latter, and with an olivacious tinge on the back. Front and inferior surface of the body, ashy white; flanks, ferruginous. Shafts of primaries, reddish at their bases; those of the tail feathers white beneath; bill and legs black. Young male with the crest cinereous, shaded with light brown.
Female. Similar to the male, but slightly smaller, and with the crest cinereous.
Hab. Texas. Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.