80 



PAraNiE, TRUE TITMICE. GEN. 12. 



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obvious seasoual or sexual changes of plumage. All but one of our species are 

 plainlj' clad ; still tliej' have a pleasing look, with their trim form and the tasteful 

 colors of the head. 



Suhfamily PARINJE. True Titmice. 



Exclusive of certain aberrant forms, usuall}' allowed to constitute a separate 

 subfamilj', and sometimes altogether removed from Paridce, the Titmice compose 

 a natural and prettj' well defined group, to which the foregoing diagnosis and re- 

 marks are particularljr applicable. There ma}^ be about seventy-five good species 

 of the Parinoi, thus restricted, most of them falling in the genus Parus, or in its 

 immediate neighborhood. With few exceptions tliey are birds of the northern 

 hemisphere, abounding in Europe, Asia and North America. The larger proportion 

 of the genera and species inhabit the Old World ; all those of the New World occur 

 within our limits, except two — Psaltripurus melanotis and Paras meridionalis, 

 which are Mexican, though they have been latelj' included in our sj'stematic works. 

 The former is a very distinct and beautiful species ; the latter is perhaps onljr a 

 southern varietur of the common Chickadee. 



12. Genus LOPHOPHANES Kaup. 



*.^*Conspicuously crested. Leaden-gray, often with a faint olivaceous shade, 

 paler or whitish below ; wings and tail unmarked. (All the figures are of natural 

 size.) 



Tufted Titmoiif^e. Forehead alone black ; nearly white below ; sides 



washed with rust^'-ljrown ; feet leaden-biue. Young birds have the crest 



plain, thus resembling the next species ; but they are 



\ nearly white below, the sides showing rusty traces. 



Largest of our species of the family, 6-6J ; wing 3-3i, 



tail about the same. Eastern United States, north to 



^ f^-r:^^>^ Long Island; "Nova Scotia" (^wi!.). WiLS., 1, 137, pi. 



, f . 5 ; AuD., ii, 143, pi. 125; Bd., 384. bicolor. 



Plain Titmouse. Plain leaden gray with faint olive 



shade, merely paler below; no markings anywhere. 



5J-G ; wing and tail about 2|. New Mexico, Arizona and California. 



Cass., 111., p. 19; Bd., 386; Elliot, pi. 3; Coop., 42. . . inornatus. 



Blach-crested Titmouse. Size of the last, or rather less ; similar to the 



\ 



Fig 21 Tulted TUmouie. 



Fro. 22. Plain Titmouse. 



Fig. 23. Blacli;-crestedJ?itmoiise. Fio. 21. BritUcd Titmouse. 



first ill color, but forehead whitish, and whole crest black. Valley of the 



Kio Grande. Cass., p. 13, pi. 3; Bd., 38.5; Coop., 43. ATPacEiSTATBS. 



{) Bridled Titmouse. Olivaccous-ash ; below soiled whitish; chin and 



