FAM. PARIDZ 5) 
Bzolophus Cabanis, Mus. Heinean. Vol. 1, p. gt (185r) (type : Parus bicoloy Linnzus). 
Pentheres Cabanis, ibidem, p. 92 (1851) (nom. emend. pro Melanipavus Bonaparte). 
Pzcila Bonaparte, Ann. Sc. Nat. (4), Vol. 1, p. rar (1854) (nom. emend. pro Poecile Kaup). 
Poikilis J]. H. Blasius, List Europ. Birds, p. 8 (1862) (nom. emend. pro Poecilé Kaup). 
Pecilia Dybowski, Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. Vol. 8, p. 361 (1883) (nom. emend. pro Poecile Kaup), 
Sittiparus de Selys-Longchamps, ibidem, Vol. 9, pp, 43, 58 (1884) (type: Pavus varius Temminck & 
Schlegel). 
Periparus de Selys-Longchamps, ibidem, pp. 43, 59 (1884) (type : Pavus ater Linneeus). 
Pardaliparus de Selys Longchamps, ibidem, p. 73 (1884) (sp _: P. elegans, P. amabilis, P. venustulus). 
Phzopharus Madarasz, Magyar Mad. p. 139 (1900) (type : P. palustris Linneus). 
fEgithospiza Hellmayr, Journ. f. Ornith. Vol. 49, p. 171 (1901) (type : Pavus fringillinus Fischer & 
Reichenow). 
Peeciloides Bianchi, Ann. Mus. Zool. St-Pétersb. Vol. 7, p. 241 (1902) (type : Poecile superciliosa 
Przewalsk1). 
Characters. Bill much shorter than head, extremely variable as to relative length, shape 
and size, sometimes slender, sometimes stout, but always more or less conic, with obtuse tip; 
culmen much rounded aboye, decidedly decurved terminally, without trace of subterminal 
notch; gonys more or less distinctly ascending terminally. Nostrils basal, roundish, small, 
non-operculate, completely concealed by dense, antrorse latero-frontal plumules. Rictal bristles 
obvious, though short and soft. Tongue obtuse, its tip beset with horny bristles. Wing rather 
long, but rounded; fourth and fifth, fourth, fifth and sixth, or third, fourth and fifth primaries 
longest; second primary equal to ninth or eighth, always shorter thanseventh; first primary much 
less than half as long as second, but considerably longer than primary coverts. Tail extremely 
variable as to relative length, either much shorter, or conspicuously longer, than wing, rounded 
or emarginate, but never much graduated; rectrices rounded or slightly pointed at tip. Tarsus 
rather strong, conspicuously longer than middle toe with claw, or wing-tip; the acrotarsium 
distinctly scutellate; outer toe slightly longer than inner toe, its claw reaching to or beyond 
base of middle toe; hallux equal in length to outer toe, but much stouter, its claw much larger 
than those of anterior toes, sometimes nearly as long as the digit; basal phalanx of middle toe 
adherent to inner toe for its entire length, to outer toe for about half its length. Feathers of 
pileum often much elongated, forming a full, erect or pendant crest of various length and shape. 
Plumage woolly, soft and lax. 
Coloration extremely variable. In some species the upper parts are plain brown or 
grey, the lower parts white, greyish or buff, without light markings on wings and tail; others 
are brightly-coloured birds, with the upper parts varied with black, yellow and green, the 
wings ornamented by bright yellow, white or bluish markings, the under surface bright yellow 
or white, with black throat and abdominal stripe. Often is there a distinct greyish or white 
nuchal patch, and the outer rectrices are partly white. 
Geographical Distribution. Palearctic, Nearctic, Indo-Malayan and Ethiopian 
Regions, 
Habits and Nidification. The Tits are very active, omnivorous, non-migratory birds. 
Their nest, a very careless, loose structure of mosses, lichens, dry leaves etc., lined inside with 
feathers, hair and other soft material, is placed in holes of all kind; the clutch consists of from 
sixto fourteen eggs, which are white, spotted all over with reddish brown or pale red. 
