ACREDULA. 485 



Genus ACREDULA. 



Both Brisson and Linnaeus included the Long-tailed Tit in the genus 

 Parus, a course which is still followed by many naturalists. The Long- 

 tailed Tit was simultaneously removed from the genus Parus in 1816 by 

 Koch and Leach^ the former writer establishing the genus Acredula, in his 

 ' Systema der baierischen Zoologie/ p. 199^ and the latter, in his ' Syste- 

 matic Catalogue/ p. 17, adopting the name of Mecistura for the bird. It 

 is impossible to say which writer has the precedence ; but as Koch carefully 

 pointed out the characters on which his new genus was based, and as Leach 

 merely changed the name without giving any diagnosis whatever, it is only 

 bare justice to adopt that of the former writer. As A. caudata was the 

 only species known to Koch, it becomes of course the type. 



The Long-tailed Tits differ from the true Tits {Parus) in having the tail 

 much longer than the wing and graduated. In otlier respects they do not 

 differ much ; but their plumage is of a looser texture, and their style of 

 coloration is peculiar. 



The birds in this genus are apparently confined to the Palsearctic Region; 

 but in the Nearctic Region they are represented by the very nearly allied 

 genus Psaliriparus. It contains about seven species, of whicli four are 

 European, one of Avhich is a common resident in and the other an occa- 

 sional straggler to our islands. 



The Long-tailed Tits do not differ much in their habits from their con- 

 geners ; they are perhaps more gregarious, and wander about in small 

 parties in search of food. The haunts they frequent are similar to those 

 of the other Tits. They do not possess any song. They build beautiful 

 dome-shaped nests of moss, lichens, feathers, wool, &c., usually placing 

 them in bushes. Their eggs are numerous, pure white in colour, sparingly 

 speckled with reddish brown. 



