PARUS MAJOR. 



GREAT TITMOUSE. 



Generic Character. 



Bill comprefled, ftraight, fhort, and fharp-pointed. 

 Noftrils round, covered by the vebrifiea. 

 Tongue laciniated, points terminating nearly on a line. 

 Toes feparate, hind-one the longeft. 



Synonyms. 



Parus Major. Un. Syft. 1. p. 341. 3. 



Great Titmouse or Ox-Eye. Br. Zool. 1. 162. 



Ib. fol. 113. tab. W. fig. 4. Lath. 



Syn. 4. 536. 1. Mont. Orn. Dift. 



Bewick's Br. Birds, Pi. 1. p. 244. 



This fpecies is in length near fix inches, in breadth about 

 nine inches, and weighs nearly three-quarters of an ounce ; 

 bill fhort, hard, and very ftrong ; eyes large and black ; legs 

 ftrong ; claws fharp and much curved, that on the hind-toe 

 much longer and more curved. The colours of the female 

 are like thofe of the male, except being fomewhat duller, and 

 in the breeding feafon the bread and belly incline to cinereous. 



The Great Titmouse (or Joe Bent) is to be met with 

 in almoft every garden ; its habits and economy are very fimi- 

 lar to thofe of the blue titmoufe, but it is more daring, and 

 will, during the time of incubation, fcarcely fuffer any bird to 

 approach its neft, it will even attack the magpie, mould 



it 



