SOMBRE TIT. 
3 
Agassiz,) our old classifiers were influenced in the 
formation of orders and genera; the consequence of 
this is that every few years we have a new nomen- 
clature, founded on the assumption that the previous 
one was based upon erroneous data. 
Upon this all-important subject the reader will find 
some excellent and judicious remarks in a paper by 
Mr. Stimpson, quoted from Silliman’s “Journal,” in the 
“Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal” for October, 
1860. I will only here make one extract: — “The res- 
toration by G. P. Gray, of Boddaert’s names in ornithology 
is another instance. By the discovery of a meagre 
pamphlet of the eighteenth century, only two or three 
cojiies of which now exist, we find ourselves forced 
to change the generic names of common birds, familiar 
as they are by long and constant usage.” 
I shall have another opportunity, more appropriate 
than this, of enlarging upon this subject, in which I 
shall be able to shew that the Prince of Canino has 
changed the generic name of some birds twice or even 
three times, without in any case adding either precision 
or utility to the science. I sincerely hope that British 
ornithologists at least, will do all in their power to put 
an end to a system which merely encumbers our 
literature with useless verbiage. 
The Sombre Tit is an inhabitant of Dalmatia, 
Hungary, Greece, and Pussia. According to De Selys, 
it also occurs in Switzerland. Temrninck says that it 
is never found in Austria, or in fact in any part of 
Germany. 
In the distribution of colours about the head and 
neck this bird is very similar to Parus Sihiricus, 
with which it has been indeed considered identical by 
Keyserling and Blasius, without, however, I think. 
