PARID^E. XXI. 51 



FAMILY XXI. PARID^E. 



(The Titmice.) 



Primaries 10, first short; wings rounded; not longer 

 than the rounded tail. Bill much shorter than head, not 

 notched nor decurved at the tip; loral feathers bristly, 

 and nostrils concealed by dense tufts. Tarsus scutellate, 

 longer than middle toe and claw. Toes much soldered 

 at base, widened beneath into a sort of palm. Plumage 

 lax, little variable. 



Small birds, less than seven inches long, resembling 

 the Jays in several respects, restless, noisy, and scarcely 

 migratory. Species seventy-five or more, chiefly of the 

 Northern hemisphere, and abounding in both continents. 

 * Conspicuously crested ; chiefly lead gray, paler below. 



LOPHOPHANES, 1. 



** Not crested ; crown, chin and throat black or brown. PAKUS, 2. 



/. LOPHOPHANES, Kaup. TUFTED TITMICE. 



1. L. bicolor, (L.) Bon. TUFTED TITMOUSE. Fore- 

 head alone black; whitish below; sides washed with 

 reddish; L. 6i; W. 3; T. 3. E. U. S., southerly; N. 

 to L. I. and L. Mich.; abundant in woodland and 

 remarkable for its loud, ringing notes. Three other 

 species occur in the S. W. 



2. PARUS, Linnaeus. CHICKADEES. 



1. P. atricapillus, L. TITMOUSE. BLACK -CAPPED 

 CHICKADEE. Grayish ash; wings and tail plain with 

 whitish edging; crown, nape, chin and throat black; 

 no white superciliary line; L. 5; W. 2; T. 2-J. N. Am.; 

 abundant. 



Var. carolinensis, (Aud.) Coues. SOUTHERN CHICKA- 

 DEE. Smaller; tail feathers not noticeably white-edged. 

 E. U. S.; southerly. 





