^ 



120 CLASS AVES. 



The Titmice. Parus. Lin. 



Have the beak slender, short, conical, and straight ; 

 furnished with little hairs at its base, and the nostrils 

 concealed in the feathers. These are very lively 

 little birds, flitting and climbing incessantly through 

 the branches, suspending themselves there in aU 

 manner of ways, tearing the grains on which they 

 feed ; eating also many insects, and not sparing even 

 small birds, when they find them sick, and are able to 

 despatch them. They are in the habit of collecting 

 provisions of grain. They nestle in the hollows of 

 old trees, and lay more eggs than any other of the 

 passeres. 



We have in France six titmice, properly so called. 



The Great Titmouse. Parus Major. Enl. 8. 1. 



Rather olive above ; yeUow beneath j the head, and 

 a longitudinal band on the breast, black ; a white 

 triangle on each cheek. Very common in coppices 

 and gardens. 



The Cole Titmouse. Parus Ater. Lin. Frisch. I. 

 pi. XIII. 2. A. 



Smaller than the preceding, with some ashen instead 



Malabar lark. Al. Malabarica. Gm. Ind. t. 116. 



Gingilark. Alauda Gingica. Lath. Ind. t. 113. 



Alauda Yeltoniensis. Forster. 



New Zealand lark. Al. Nov(s ZelandicB. Gm. Portlock's Voy. t. 37. 



Cinereoiis Lark. Alauda Cinerea. Gm. 



Senegal lark. Al. Senegalensis. Gm. PI. Enl. t. 504. 



