THE OX-EYE TIT. 427 



band on the side of the neck, behind the white patch on the 

 cheek and ear-coverts, and extends along the middle of the 

 thorax in a broadish band, which expands on the abdonxen. 

 The posterior cervical and anterior dorsal feathers are yellowish- 

 green, that colour fading into pale greyish-blue on the hind 

 part of the back. There are a few white feathers on the nape. 

 The smaller wing-coverts are pale blue, the secondary coverts 

 tipped with white ; the quills dark greyish brown, margined 

 internally with white, externally with pale blue, excepting the 

 third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, which are white on the abbrevi- 

 ated part, and the inner three which are yellow ; all the quills 

 are slightly tipped with white, except the first three. The 

 tail-feathers are dark greyish-brown, their outer webs greyish- 

 blue ; the outer web and tip of the lateral feather, and a spot 

 on the tip of the next, white. The sides are greenish-yellow ; 

 the lower tail-coverts and wing-coverts white. The concealed 

 parts of the plumage dark. 



Length to end of tail 6j inches ; extent of wings 10 ; wing 

 from flexure 3 ; tail 2^o ; bill along the ridge j%, along the 

 edge of lower mandible j'^g ' tarsus i| ; hind toe ^^g, its claw j% ; 

 second toe /^, its claw |% ; third toe j%, its claw ^^ ; fourth 

 toe j^g, its claw |*g. 



Female. — In the female the distribution of colours is the 

 same. The yellow of the breast and sides is less bright, the 

 greyish-blue of the rump less pure, the black band on the 

 breast duller and narrower, and the black less extended on the 

 abdomen. 



Length to end of tail 5f inches ; extent of wings 9 5. 



Variations. — In adult birds I have not observed any re- 

 markable deviations from the colours as above described. 



Changes of Plumage. — The changes caused by the action of 

 the atmosphere and friction are not very perceptible in this or 

 the other species, the tints being merely rendered duller, and 

 the light edgings of the quills obliterated. 



Habits. — This species, which, like all the rest, is very active 



