THE BRITISH GREAT TITMOUSE. 



227 



92. Parus major newtoni Prazak — THE BRITISH GREAT 

 TITMOUSE. 



Parus imaj or newtoni Prazak, Orn. Jahrb., v, p. 239 {189-4 — England). 

 Parus major Linnajus, Yarrell, i, p. 479 ; Saunders, p. 103 ; P. m. newtoni 

 Prazak, Hartert, Brit. B., i, p. 213. 



The British Great Titmouse. 



{Parus m, newtoni) - 



Note larger bill. 



The Coutineutal Great Titmouse. 

 (Parus m, major). 

 Note smaller bill. 



Description. — Adult male. Winter. — Fore-head, lores, croA\n, and 

 nape gloss_y blue-black ; nuchal spot pale greenish-yellow ; mantle 

 and scapvilars yellowish-green ; back same, feathers tipped blue- 

 grey ; rump and upper tail-coverts blue-grey ; cheeks and ear- 

 coverts white ; chin black ; throat and gorget blue-black joined 

 to nape by broad blue-black band at base of sides of neck (some 

 feathers in this band are blue-black with green tips) ; centre of 

 breast and belly black, rest of breast and belly and flanks chrome- 

 yellow ; vent and under tail-coverts black in centre, white at sides ; 

 axillaries whitish-yellow ; under wing-coverts white with brownish- 

 black bases ; tail blue-grey on outer webs, brown-black on inner 

 webs, but central pair A^dth most of inner webs blue-grey and shafts 

 black, outer pair with outer web white and a wedge of white (of 

 varjdng size) on distal portion of imier web, next (penultimate) pair 

 with small white tijD and following pair often Avith small white spot 

 at tip ; primaries and secondaries black, fringed blue-gre}^ on outer, 

 and white on inner, webs, 1st and 2nd primaries not fringed, 3rd 

 to 7th with distal emarginated portioii of outer webs dull white and 

 basal half fringed blue-grey, inner secondaries with outer webs 

 broadly fringed greenish-yellow ; bastard- wing black, fringed white ; 

 primary-coverts black, outer webs fringed blue-grey ; greater 

 coverts black, fringed blue-grey and broadly tipped white (tips 

 of inner feathers yellowish) ; median and lesser coverts blue-grey. 

 This plumage is acquired by complete moult in Aug. -Oct. Summer. 

 — No moult. Abrasion makes crown and throat less glossy, wearing 

 off of green tips makes blue-black of bands at sides of neck broader, 

 fringes of outer webs of -vving-feathers and tips of greater coverts 

 become reduced by wear. 



Adult female. — Like adult male but duller ; blue-black of 

 crown and throat and gorget less glossy ; black in centre of breast 



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