WHITE-WINGED TIT. 

 Parus leticopterus, SWAINS. 



Glossy black ; wing-covers and margin of the quills, pure 

 white. 



La Me*sange noire, Le Vattl. Ois. d'Afrique, Hi. 137, 1, 2.-^ 

 P. niger, Vieill. Encyc. Meth., 508. 



ALTHOUGH very abundant in the Cafire country of 

 Southern Africa, Le Yaillant remarks that this 

 pretty little bird was never met with by him, either 

 on the west coast or near the Cape of Good Hope. 

 This is very singular, since two specimens, received 

 from Senegal, perfectly agree both with Vaillant's 

 figure and description. He observes that its note 

 is perfectly the same as that of our Partis major, 

 and that it builds in the trunks of trees, where it 

 also roosts ; the eggs, which are from six to eight, 

 are entirely white. 



It is singular that no notice is taken of this species 

 in our modern compilations, although its peculiarity 

 of plumage renders it not likely to be confounded 

 with any other. 



The size is exactly that of Parus major, and the 

 structure is nearly the same, except that the bill is 

 rather shorter, and the culmen more arched; the 

 feet, also, are somewhat smaller, and their claws 

 shorter, broader, and more curved. 



