i3° 
ALLEN'S NATURALIST’S LIBRARY. 
P. major and P. ceeruleus, but also the Coal Tits, of which 
P. ctter is the type, and the Marsh-Tits, of which P. fialus/ris 
is the typical representative. The range of the genus Parus is, 
therefore, coincident with that of the family. They are all 
builders in holes of one kind or another, and their eggs are all 
of a similar type, and, in most cases, numerous. 
THE GREAT TIT. PARUS MAJOR. 
Parus major , Linn., S. N., i., p. 341 (1766) ; Dresser, B. Eur., 
iii., p. 7Q, pi. 106 (1871); Newt. ed. Yarr., i., p. 479 (1873); 
B. O. U' List Br. B., p. 26 (1883); Gadow., Cat. B. Brit., 
viii., p. 19 (1883); Seeb., Br. B., i., p. 463 (1883); Lil- 
ford, Col. Fig. Brit. B., pt. vi. (1888) ; Saunders, Man., 
p. 95 ( 1 889) : Wyatt, Brit. B., pi. 8, fig. 2 (1894). 
Parus fringillago, Macg., Br. B., ii.,p. 425 (1839). 
Adult Male. — General colour above green, inclining to yellow 
towards the nape, where there is a patch of white ; rump and 
upper tail-coverts greyish-blue, like the tail-feathers, which have 
the shafts and the inner webs black, the outer tail-feathers white 
along the outer webs and at the tips ; wing-coverts bluish slate- 
colour, the greater series darker, and tipped with yellowish- 
white ; primary-coverts and quills dusky, externally edged with 
slaty-blue, the inner secondaries with greenish ; crown of head, 
sides of neck, throat and fore-neck black with a gloss of blue, 
and relieved by a large white patch, which occupies the cheeks 
and ear-coverts, and is very conspicuous ; rest of under surface 
of body yellow, the centre of the breast and abdomen glossy 
blue-black ; flanks greenish ; vent white ; thighs and under tail- 
coverts black ; under wing coverts white ; axillaries yellow ; bill 
black] feet leaden-grey; iris dark brown. Total length, 5-5 
inches; oilmen, 0-5; wing, 2’S5 ; tail, 2-4; tarsus, 075. 
Adult Female. — Similar to the male, but distinguished by 
the narrower and duller black streak down the centre of 
the abdomen. Total length, 5-3 inches ; wing, 2-85; tarsus, 
08. 
Young. — Coloured like the adults, but much more dingy in 
appearance, with the patch on the hind-neck and sides of face 
yellow instead of white, and the central streak on the under- 
