453 



MECISTURA. MUFFLIN. 



The Long-tailed Tit, Parus caudatus, of authors, differs so 

 much from the other species, in the length of the tail, the form 

 of the bill, and other particulars, that it has been, and I think 

 with propriety, referred to a separate genus, of which the fol- 

 lowing are the principal characters. 



Bill very short, rather stout, compressed ; upper mandible 

 with its dorsal outline convex from the base, the ridge narrow, 

 the sides convex and deflected, the edges direct and overlap- 

 ping, the tip acute, considerably decurved and extending be- 

 yond that of the lower, without notch or sinus ; lower man- 

 dible with the angle very short, rather wide, and rounded, the 

 dorsal outline ascending and convex, the sides convex, the 

 edges inflected, the tip acute ; the gape-line a little arched. 



The mouth is very narrow, its interior as in the Tits, as are 

 the digestive organs. The body short and full ; the head very 

 large and broadly ovate. The nostrils small, round, and con- 

 cealed by the feathers, as is the base of the bill. The eyes are 

 small, the bare margin of the eyelids very broad and crenate. 

 The feet of ordinary length, rather slender ; the tarsus com- 

 pressed, with seven large anterior scutella ; the toes rather 

 slender, the first proportionally large and stout, being with its 

 claw as long as the middle toe ; the anterior toes united as far 

 as the second joint. The claws are long, moderately arched, 

 extremely compressed, laterally grooved, and very acute. 



Plumage exceedingly soft, loose, and elongated. Wings of 

 moderate length, concave, very broad, rounded ; the first quill 

 not half the length of the second, the fourth and fifth longest. 

 Tail very long, straight, graduated, of twelve narrow rounded 

 feathers. 



There is but one British species of this genus. 



