THE BRITISH GREAT TITMOUSE. 



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92. Parus major newtoni Prazak THE BRITISH GREAT 

 TITMOUSE. 



PARUS MAJOR NEWTONI Prazak, Orn. Jahrb., v, p. 239 (1894 England). 

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

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



o 



The British Great Titmouse. 



(Parus m, newtoni)- 



Note larger bill. 



The Continental Great Titmor 

 (Parus m, major), 

 Note smaller bill. 



DESCRIPTION. Adult male. Winter. Fore-head, lores, crown, and 

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

 and scapulars 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 with most of inner webs blue-grey and shafts 

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

 varying size) on distal portion of inner web, next (penultimate) pair 

 with small white tip and following pair often with small white spot 

 at tip ; primaries and secondaries black, fringed blue-grey on outer, 

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

 to 7th with distal emarginated portion 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 wing-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 



Q2 



