392 U. S. p. R. E EXP AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL, REPORT. 



PARUS MERIDIONALIS, S c 1 a t e r . 

 Mexican Titmouse. 



Parus meridionalis, Sclater, Pr. Zool. Soc. 1856, 293. — Ib. 1857, 81. (El Jacale, Mex.) 



Sp. Ch. — Generally similar to P. alricapitlus. Tail nearly even ; second quill rather shorter than the secondaries ; first not 

 quite half as long as second. Head and neck above and below black ; their sides white ; rest of upper parts soiled ash ; beneath 

 a. rather paler tint of the same ; lighter, almost whitish, along the middle of the belly, and behind the black of the throat. No 

 whitish on the wing coverts or tail feathers. The quills edged externally with dull bluish white, most conspicuous on the inner- 

 most. Length, 5.00 ; wing, 2.60 ; tail, 2.45. 



Jiab — Eastern Mexico. 



This species appears to be perfectly distinct from any of the North American titmice, as 

 shown by the examination of the typical specimen, received from Mr. Gould. The size of body 

 and character of wing and tail are much as in P. atricapilhis, from which it differs in the entire 

 absence of whitish edgings on the coverts and tail feathers. The extreme outer edge of the 

 outer tail feather indeed is of a very dull whitish, but even this is not seen on the others. 

 There is almost no white on the under parts, which are of the same shade with the back, only 

 paler, and with a lightening along the median line. There is nothing of the reddish brown or 

 rusty whitish wash on the side seen in nearly all the North American titmice. The second and 

 third quills are decidedly shorter than in atricapillus. 



In the absence of light edgings to the wing coverts, and in their reduction to a minimum on 

 the quills and tail feathers, there is a close resemblance to P. carolinensis. This, however, has 

 more whitish on the edges of quills and tail feathers, and the under parts are tinged with a 

 very pale reddish brown, instead of the decided soiled ash of the other. The proportions of 

 the quills are similar. 



From P. occidentalis this species differs in the ashy tinge of the under parts, instead of the 

 rather deep reddish brown, these colors in both encroaching greatly on the median whitish so 

 conspicuous in the other species. The tail feathers are not so black, nor have they nor the quills 

 edgings quite so light. The tail is more nearly even. 



List of specimens. 



PAEUS CAROLINENSIS, Audubon. 



Carolina Titmonse. 



Parus carolinensis, Add. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 341 : V, 474 ; pi. 160.— Ib. Birds Am. II, 1841, 152 ; pi. 127.— Cassin, 



lUust. I, 1853, 17. 

 Poecila carolinensis, Bp. Consp. Av. 1850, 230. 



Sp. Ch. — Second quill appreciably longer than secondaries. Tail very little rounded. Length about 4.50 inches ; wing less 

 than 2.50 ; tail 2.40. Back brownish ash. Head above, and throat, black, separated on sides of head by white. Beneath 

 white ; brownish white on sides. Outer tail feathers, primaries, and secondaries, not edged with white. 



Hab. — South Atlantic Slates to Washington. 



This species is very similar to the P. atricapilhis, but is smaller. The first quill, as in all the 

 titmice, is spurious ; the fourth and fifth are equal ; the sixth a little shorter than the third 



