OF ORNITHOLOGY 43 



ed ; general plumage " lax," and very soft ; tarsus without 

 distinct scutellse and longer than the toes ; long rictal bristles 

 about the base of the short and compressed bill [bill less than 

 the length of the head]. An instant's comparison of the bird 

 with those which it resembles will show how necessary it is to 

 frame a separate family upon its stable peculiarities. 



Genus, Chamcea, The Ground Tit and ally. 



[The position of this family, numerically, is liable to be 

 changed, with perfect propriety, at any time]. 



FAMILY III PARIDAE THE TITMICE 

 CHICKADEES 



Latin parus, a titmouse. 

 As we progress in the enunciation of the characteristics of 

 the family groups, our difficulties increase rather than dimin- 

 ish ; Strange as it may appear, the Titmice are allies to the 

 Jays; most of our writers regarding their differences merely 

 as a difference of size. There is no necessity of attempting to 

 divide the family into sub-families, as our North American 

 species would fall naturally under a single sub-family : Bill 

 short and stout, straight and somewhat compressed, tip straight 

 and unnotched ; nostrils concealed by stiff' feathers (not bris- 

 tles) ; tarsus scutellate and longer than the middle toe ; toes 

 stout for size of bird ; wings (primaries 10) with spurious 1st 

 quill — one-half or less the 2nd — wing about length of tail 

 and both rounded ; tail (12 feathers) not acuminate. Size 

 small, five to seven inches only. 



Genera, Lophophanes, The Crested Tits (4 species). 

 Parus, The Chickadees (11 species). 

 Psaltripartis, The Tits (3 species). 

 Auriparus, The Yellow-headed Titmouse. 



Sub-genera. None : There seems to have been little desire on the part of 

 writers to separate these well-grounded and will-established genera. Two 

 or three species only rest under an apparent temporary cloud, — but this 

 seems a matter more of local variation than distinction of type. The spe- 

 cies are not'abundant, and in form and position pretty reliable. 



