78 PAEID^E. 



Habits. Similar to those of cinereus. This little Titmouse is 

 really more of a hills than a plains bird, though in the winter it 

 wanders over a very wide extent of country. It prefers hills and 

 broken country, more especially such as are fairly well covered 

 with trees and forest, and it is found in the hills of Southern 

 India practically up to their summits. 



(56) Parus major tibetanus. 



THE TIBETAN GREA.T-TIT. 

 Parus major tibetanus Hartert, Vog. Pal., p. 346 (1905) (Chaksam). 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Back decidedly green and the lower parts suffused 

 with yellow. Its size alone at once distinguishes it from com- 

 mixtus and minor, and it has more white on the tail than either 

 of these races. 



Colours of soft parts as in cinereus, but tarsi apparently paler 

 and brighter slate-blue. 



Measurements. Wing 66 to 79 mm., generally over 70 ; tail 

 66 to 74 mm. 



Distribution. S.E. Tibet, Yunnan and N.E. Kauri Kachiu 

 Hills. Chumba Valley, Sikkim. 



Nidification. A common breeder in the Gyantse Plain, Tibet, 

 breeding both in holes in trees and in walls and banks. Eggs of 

 a clutch, taken from a small natural hole in a willow, measure 

 about 18-8 x 13-5 mm., and are richly marked for Great-Tit's eggs. 

 The nest was of wool and Mouse-hare (Layomys) fur. It was 

 taken on 18.5.17. 



Habits. Those of the species. 



(57) Parus major commixtus. 

 THE BUBMLSE 



Parus commixtus Swinhoe, Ibis, p. 63 (1868) (S. China). 

 Parus minor. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 48. 



Vernacular names. Buinum memka (Burmese). 



Description. Differs from tibetanus in having the green con- 

 fined to the upper back and scapulars, the yellow below is 

 obsolete or very slight, and the white on the outer tail-feathers 

 is less extensive. Erom the true minor of Japan and N". China 

 it differs in being much less green above, and more buff or 

 vinaceous rather than yellow below. 



Colours of soft parts as in cinereus. 



Measurements. Wing 61 to 68 mm., generally under 66 ; tail 

 53 to 61 mm. 



Distribution. Tenasserim, Eastern Burma, Siain, Shan States 

 and S. China. 



