Titmouse. INSESSORES. PARUS. 233 



three toes before, and one behind ; the anterior ones divided 

 to their origin, the hind toe strong, and armed with a long 

 and hooked claw. AVing, having the first quill of mean 

 length, or almost deficient ; the second shorter than the 

 third ; the fourth and fifth the longest. 



The subjects of this well marked genus are of an active 

 and bold character. Most of the species inhabit woods and 

 plantations, and are remarkable for the various attitudes in 

 which they hang upon the branches of trees, in search of 

 insects and their larvae. They also feed upon grain and 

 many hard seeds, the kernels of which they obtain by re- 

 peated strokes of their sharp-pointed bill. Sometimes they 

 will attack the young of other small birds, killing them by a 

 fracture of the skull. They generally make their nests in 

 the holes of trees or walls. 



GREAT TITMOUSE. 



Parus major, Linn. 

 PLATE LI. Fig. 1. 



Parus major, Linn. Syst. 1. p. o41. 3 — Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 1006. sp. 3 — Lath. 



Tnd. Ornith. v. 2. p. 562. 1 — Rail Syn. p. 73. A. 1 — Wil. p. 174. 43 — 



Briss. 3. p. 539. 1. 

 La Grosse Mesange ou Charbonniere, Buff. Ois. v. 5. p. 392. t. 17 Id. 



PI. Enl. 3. f. 1. 

 Mesange Charbonniere, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. v. 1. p. 287. 

 Kohlmeise, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 3. p. 834 — Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 



V. 1. p. 267 Frisch. t. 13. f. 1. 



Great Titmouse, or Oxeye, Br. Zool. 1. No. 162 — Arct. Zool. 2. p. 425. A. 



Will. (Angl.) p. 240." t. 43 Lewiii'sBx. Birds. 3. t. 117 — Lath. Syn. 4. 



p. 536. I Mont. Ornith. Diet. v. 2 — Albin. 1. 1. 46 — Haye's Br. Birds, 



t. 38 Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 10 Beicick's Br. Birds, 1. p. t. 237. 



Thk disposition of the well-contrasted colours in this 

 Titmouse, renders it (me of the handsomest, not only of its 

 genus, but of our British birds. — It is very common through- 



