Parus atricristatus. Feb 15. 7 mi. S Ranger, ± 1700 ft., Eastland Co., Texas I backed off and fired with a .410, breaking bird's manus - it worked up into tree and perched still near trunk. I finished it with .22, then searched for mate of this ♂ (731). I found ♀ in middle of brush pile, standing on ground with feathers fluffed, eyes closed but very much alive. (♀, 732). This must have been after 12:00, since I returned to Ranger in hard rain to find it was 12:45 (I had forgotten my watch). Call notes heard during the morning included a scold vet-it vet-it vet-it as well as the usual vet vet vet. One characteristic response I witnessed a number of times was for a bird, such as one which had been fired at, to perch on a twig close to the trunk of the tree and remain motionless there. I observed this reaction in at least 3 titmice I can recall as well as the one seen here Feb 14. Titmice generally wary, flushing well out of range on many occasions. I saved as a skin a thrush taken by Pete Jameson with #8 shot in a 12-gauge. Many feathers lost plus delay in preparation make for a poor specimen.