52 FAUNA AND FLORA OF PALESTINE. 



FAMILY, PANURID.-E. 

 71. Panurns biarmicus. (Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 342.) Bearded Tit. 



The Bearded Tit has been taken in the reed-beds oi A run do donax in 

 the maritime plain south of Beyrout. I have not myself seen or heard of 

 it in any other part of the country. 



The Bearded Tit has a considerable longitudinal but not latitudinal 

 range. From the south-cast of England it stretches through Holland to 

 Southern Russia, Italy, and the Danube, and down to Greece and 

 Smyrna. Palestine is thus its extreme Southern and Eastern limit. 



FAMILY, PARID.^. 



72. Pants major. Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 341. Great Titmouse. 



This is the only Titmouse which is common in Palestine. It is found 

 throughout the year in all the woods and olive-yards east and west, but 

 never in the Jordan valley. Its coloration is brighter than in British 

 specimens. 



The Great Tit is an inhabitant of the whole of Europe, Barbary, 

 Siberia to the Amoor, Asia Minor, Armenia, and Persia. 



"j^). Pariis atci'. Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 341. Coal Titmouse. 



The Coal Tit is very abundant in all the wooded parts of Lebanon, 

 and especially about the cedar groves, where it breeds early in the season. 



The range of this bird is not easily defined. The British Coal Tit 

 differs slightly from the Continental, and in Eastern Asia Parus pekincnsis 

 also approaches it very closely. But the typical form ranges through 

 Northern and Central Europe as far as the Caucasus, and extends into 

 Western Siberia. It is very common in the Taurid range, but becomes 

 very scarce in Southern Europe, and is not found south of the Mediter- 

 ranean. 



74. Partis lugiibris. Temm. Man. d'Orn. i., p. 294. Sombre Tit- 

 mouse. 



The Sombre Titmouse, which is extremely plentiful in the wooded 

 parts of Northern Syria and Southern Armenia, does not appear to 



