Order II. PASSERES. Tribe III. Denttrostres. Family I. LusciNimE. 



The fifth Subfamily, 



PARING, or Titmice, 



have the Bill short, strong, rather conical and straight, with the culmen straight, or slightly curved to 

 the tip, which is entire ; the nostrils lateral, basal, and generally concealed by the projecting frontal 

 plumes ; the "Wings moderate and pointed, with the first three quills graduated ; the Tail more or less 

 long, rounded, and even ; the Tarsi rather long, slender, and covered in front with scales ; the Toes 

 moderate, with the inner toe the shortest ; the claws strong, and much curved. 



Parus Linn.* 



Bill short, strong, and conic, with the culmen more or less curved, and the sides compressed to the 

 tip, which is entire and acute, the gonys moderate and ascending ; the nostrils lateral and basal, with the 

 opening small, rounded, and concealed by the projecting frontal plumes. Wings moderate ; with the first 

 quill very short ; and the third rather shorter than the fourth and fifth, which are equal and longest. Tail 

 more or less long, and rounded or even. Tarsi rather longer than the middle toe, and covered in front 

 with transverse scales. Toes moderate ; with the lateral toes nearly equal ; the hind toe very long, strong, 

 and armed with a long, curved, and acute claw. 



These birds are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. They are usually observed in the woods and 

 gardens, and are very active, flitting from bush to bush, running up and down branches with great celerity, and con- 

 tinually hanging in various attitudes from among the foliage while searching for their food, which consists of various 

 kinds of insects and their larvse. At times they feed on grain, seeds, and even carrion ; they also attack young or 

 sickly birds, which they kill by fracturing their skulls by repeated strokes of their pointed bill. The nests of some 

 species are formed in holes of decayed trees or old walls, and are composed of moss, and lined with hairs and feathers. 

 Others select the fork of a tree or the middle of a bush, wherein they place an oval-formed nest, made of. different 

 lichens and wool, intermixed and lined with feathers. Two orifices are left by the bird on the two opposite sides, 

 which serve for ingress and egress, and through one of which the long tail projects whilst the bird is hatching the eggs, 

 which are from six to ten in number. 



* Linnaeus established this genus in 1735. Lophophanes, Cyanistes, and Poecila of Dr. Kaup (1829) ; Melanochlora of M. Lesson 

 (1839), with which Crataionyx of Mr. Eyton (1839) is synonymous ; Psaltria of M. Temminck ; Orites of Moehring (] 752), with 

 which Mecistura of Leach (181 6), Acredula of Koch (1816), and Paroides of M. Brehm (1828) are synonymous; and probably 

 Megistina of Vieillot (1816), are coequal with the name employed. 



