\2 AZURE TIT. 



Naumann says that it never nests in Germany; in 

 fact very little is known about its propagation, and I . 

 am sorry that I have not an authentic egg to figure. 

 It breeds in the wild regions of Siberia and Eastern 

 Russia. 



The adult male has the top of the head, a large 

 patch on the nape, the cheeks, throat, and all the 

 inferior parts snowy white, the top of the head being 

 shaded with azure blue, and there is a patch of the 

 same in the middle of the abdomen. From the beak 

 through the eyes to the nape is a band of very dark 

 blue, which, passing round the head, enlarges at the 

 nape, returns and forms a triangular patch on the side 

 of the neck; back, rump, and above the wings, azure 

 blue ; greater wing coverts dark blue, the border being 

 clearer, and terminating in white ; middle tail quills 

 azure blue, the laterals bordered and terminated with 

 white. The tail long and cuneiform; feet and tarsi 

 azure blue. 



The female has the top of the head grey white; all 

 the blue colours less pure, and the blue band which 

 passes through, the eyes is smaller in the nape. 



Figured by Temminck and Laugier ; Pallas, Nov. 

 Comm. Acad. Peterop, pi. 23, fig. 3 ; Naumann, Vogel . 

 Deutsch., vol. iv, pi. 95; Gould, pi. 153. 



