SYLVIADA. — PARIANZ. AS 
the bark of buds, and thus extracting the small insects 
that there lie concealed. Of the five types of form, or 
subgenera, proper to the genus Parus, that which we 
have formerly named Parisoma, is the connecting link 
to Accentor. It is one of those small birds of South 
Africa, figured, indeed, by Le Vaillant, but of which 
the greater part are known only by his plates: the four 
others are composed of the ordinary or typical titmice 
(Parus), the hangnest titmice (Eyithalus Vig.), the 
‘Brazilian titmice (Hylophilus Tem.) and that excess- 
ively rare little bird forming Vieillot’s genus Aigithina. 
Parus and Egithalus are distinguished by their conic, 
sharp-pointed, and entire bills ; while the three aber- 
rant types have this member notched ; but in all five 
the feet (so constantly employed in the great exertion 
of climbing) are particularly strong and muscular ; the 
hind toe, also—upon which all climbing birds depend sO 
much for assistance — is large and wee 
_ (46.) The discovery of the five subgenera of Parus, 
independent of the verification they afford by their per- 
fect analogy to the correctness of the corresponding 
types of the genus Sylvicola subsequently detailed, is of 
much importance, since this discovery enables us to 
prove, beyond all reasonable doubt, that neither the long- 
_ tailed nor the bearded tits (Parus caudatus and biarmi- 
cus) are types either of genera or subgenera. We have 
already alluded to the station in which, after the most 
minute analysis, we have placed the Parus biarmicus*, 
_ which is only an aberrant species of the restricted sub- 
genus Parus, as the latter now stands: from this bird al- 
aways living in the vicinity of water, it becomes that species 
which represents the natato- 
m™,, rialtype; while,inthegreatly 
#/ developed tail ee 
ni datus ( fig. 129.), it is easy 
guys 7 to perceive another aberrant 
species, typifying the Ra- 
sores. We have repeatedly 
remarked that groups, pre- 
* Classification of Animals, pp. 270, 271. 
