126 



Western Siberia, but there is, as pointed out by Dr. Menzbier, nothing on record to show this to 

 be the case. Nor has it been obtained in the Oufa Government, as stated by Baron de Selys- 

 Longehamps (op. cit. p. 38). 



Nothing is known respecting the breeding-habits of this Titmouse ; but its nest and eggs 

 will doubtless be found to resemble those of P. cwruleus. 



The present species bears much closer affinity to Parus cceruleus than to any of the Blue 

 Titmice, and is intermediate between that species and Parus cyanus. having the square tail as in 

 Parus cceruleus, and not rounded as in P. cyanus ; the head and throat as in P. cceruleus, but the 

 upper and under parts generally as in P. cyanus, except that the latter are generally tinged with 

 pale sulphur-yellow or yellowish buff. In the series I have examined I find some little variation, 

 some specimens approaching nearer to P. cyanus than others ; thus one of the females in the 

 St. Petersburg collection has the whole of the fore part of the crown, the chin, and the throat 

 white, the blue on the centre of the crown paler than in the other specimens, but otherwise it 

 does not differ from them. According to Dr. Menzbier the present species occasionally inter- 

 breeds with Parus cyanus, and he gives detailed descriptions of four specimens which he considers 

 to be hybrids between these two species. 



The specimens figured and described are in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



U Mus. H. P. Dresser. 



a, $ ad. St. Petersburg, September 25th, 1886 (Pleske). b, ? juv. Near Moscow, September 21st, 1886 



(Lorenz) . 



E Mus. Petrop. 



a, d ad. St. Petersburg, September 25th, 1886; b, ? ad. St. Petersburg, May 1878; c, ? . St. Petersburg, 

 October 5th, 1887 {Pleske). 



E Mus. Bothschild. 



a, 6 ad. Moscow, November 27th; b, ? ad. Moscow, October 11th (Prof. M. Menzbier). 



E Mus. H. Seehohm. 

 a, 3 ad. Moscow, September 25th (Pleske). 



E Mus. Brit, 

 a, $ ad. Moscow, October 12th (Lorenz). 



