BIRDS— PARIDAE — PAEOIDES. 



399 



List of specimens. 



PAROIDES, Kaup. 



Paroides, Kaup, Entw. Gescli. Europ. Thierw. 1816. (Gray.) Type P. pendulinus. 

 Jlegilhalus, Boie, Isis, 1822, 55G. Same type. 



Ch. — Form sylvicoline. Bill conical, nearly straight, and very acute ; the commissure very slightly and gently curved. 

 Nostrils concealed by decumbent bristles. Wings long, little rounded ; the first quill half the second ; third, fourth, and fifth 

 quills nearly equal, and longest. Tail slightly graduated. Lateral toes equal, the anterior united at the extreme base. Hind 

 toe small, about equal to the lateral. Tarsus but little longer than the middle toe. 



This genus differs from all other North American titmice in the greater length of the quills, 

 the third being the longest, or very nearly so, instead of the fourth or fifth. The hind toe i.s 

 rather short, the claw scarcely larger than that of the middle toe. In this respect, and the 

 shorter tarsi, it diifers from Psaltriparus, {minimus,) and its bill is much more straight and 

 acute than this, or any other United States species. 



Comparing the single American species with the type of Paroides, {'pendulinus,') the bill, 

 though much elongated, is not quite so conical and acute, the upper outline being slightly 

 convex instead of perfectly straight, or'even concave. The legs are much longer, the tarsus 

 measuring (the skins of nearly the same size) .60 of an inch instead of .54. The claws are 

 much smaller and more delicate, which makes the lateral toes shorter as well as the hinder one, 

 which does not exceed the middle toe without the claw, instead of being almost as long as middle 

 toe and claw together. The tail is slightly graduated, instead of nearly even. The spurious 

 primary is longer ; the second quill shorter. 



While it is thus similar to Paroides, it is totally distinct from Psallria, (with &}dlis as the 

 type.) This diflers entirely in the much shorter and more curved bill, longer legs^ shorter 

 wings, longer and more graduated tail, and dull plumage generally. 



Although different from Paroides, as shown above, I prefer to continue it in this genus where 

 it was originally placed, being unwilling to create a new one for it, in my ignorance as to 

 whether some one already constructed upon foreign types may not include it. 



Comparative measurements of species. 



