BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMEEIOA. 377 



claw scarcely reaching to middle of that of middle toe; bill straight; nostrils 

 concealed, non-operculate;o tenth primary less than one-third as long as 



ninth Sittidae 6 



66. Hallux (without claw) shorter than outer toe (without claw), the latter reach- 

 ing to beyond middle of peimltimate phalanx of middle toe, its claw reaching 

 beyond middle of that of middle toe; bill curved, at least terminally; nostril 

 exposed, operculate; tenth primary more than one-third (sometimes more 

 than one-half) as long as ninth Certhiidae " 



The Paridaj, as here restricted, are arboreal, omnivorous, ver}'^ 

 active, and essentially non-migratory. They are (with perhaps one 

 or two exceptions'') peculiar to the Northern Hemisphere and are 

 tar better represented in the Old World than in the New, North 

 America, including Mexico, possessing less than thirty species and 

 subspecies and but four genera, while about seventy species and at 

 least five genera belong to the Palsearctic, Indian, and African regions. 



Following is an attempt to define the subfamilies of Paridse: 



a. Maxilla straight and narrow terminally, with the nasal opening occupying much 

 less than basal half; interorbital septum well ossified up to point of exit of 

 olfactory nerves, or else with foramina much less than half as long as distance, 

 longitudinally, across the orbit; tarsus much less than twice as long as middle 

 toe without claw; basal phalanx of middle toe adherent for entire length to 

 inner toe, to outer toe for more than half its length; exposed culmen equal to 

 or longer than inner toe without claw, the bill much longer than deep or else 

 with gonys more strongly curved than culmen; tail even, very slightly rounded, 

 or emarginate. 

 6. Interorbital septum without any large central foramen; bill with either the 

 culmen or gonys (usually both) distinctly convex, its tip not acute; ninth 

 primary shorter than third, the tenth about half as long as ninth; rictal 

 bristles distinct; nest hidden in holes of trees, etc. ; eggs white, with or with- 

 out reddish specks Parinse 



66. Interorbital septum with a large central foramen; bill with both culmen and 

 gonys nearly straight, its tip acute; ninth primary not shorter than fourth, 

 the tenth much less than half as long as ninth, sometimes almost rudi- 

 mentary; rictal bristles obsolete; nest attached to branches or twig3 of trees 

 or bushes, very bulky; eggs pale greenish blue, speckled with reddish 

 brown Eemizinse « 



o Except in the Australian genus Neositta Hellmayr. 



^Oomprising, besides Sitta, the genera CallisUta Bonaparte (Indian; Bendrophila 

 Swainson not of Hodgson), and NeosUta Hellmayr (Siitella Swainson, 1837, not of 

 Eaflnesque, 1815!) (Australian). Hypositta 'Newton (Madagascar), I would exclude 

 from Sittidse on account of its excessively elongated middle and outer toes (the latter 

 twice as long as the inner toe) and hallux (nearly as long as tarsus) , strongly notched 

 and uncinate maxilla, and other characters which together justify the recognition of 

 a special family {Hypodttidse) for its reception. 



" Comprising, besides the genus Certhia, the genera Tichodroma Bonaparte (Pate- 

 arctic) and CKmactem Temminck (Australian), each of these, however, constituting a 

 separate subfamily. 



<*The Australian monotypic genus Xerophila Gould; also, possibly, the Australian 

 (monotypic) genus Sphenostoma Qould, which I have not seen. 



« The term JEgithalinse has been used for this group; but the name -lEgithalos, on 

 which it was based, having been transferred, in accordance with requirements of 



