BIRDS—PARIDAE—POLIOPTILA. 
379 
Family PARIDAE. 
First primary very short, generally less than half the second, which is considerably less than the third. Tarsus longer than 
the middle toe, strongly scutellate anteriorly ; hind toe rather shorter than the middle. Entire basal joint of middle toe united 
to the lateral toes. Bill short, straight, conical, usually without notch. Wings short; tail rather long, rounded, or graduated. 
In the limited number of forms of this family in North America, I am unable to define the 
sub-families with any degree of precision, except to state that Polioptila appears to belong to 
one, and the true titmice to another. In Polioptila the bill is long, slender, and distinctly 
notched, the nostrils open, while in the titmice the bill is shorter, more conical, entirely without 
notch, and the nostrils concealed by feathers. Other differences will be found mentioned under 
the respective genera. 
Polioptilinae. —Bill slender, elongated, distinctly notched ; nostrils not covered by bristly 
feathers, but exposed ; nostrils elongated. 
Parinae. —Bill short, conical, without indication of notch ; nostrils rounded, completely 
concealed by elongated bristly feathers directed forwards. 
POLIOPTILA, S cl a ter. 
Polioptila, Sclater, Pr. Zool. Soc. 1855, 11. Typ e Motacilla caerulea. 
Culicivora, Swainson, Class. Birds,II, 1837, 243. Type C. atricapilla. Not Culicivora (type stenura ) of Swainson’s 
Zool. Jour. IIT, 1827, 359. 
Ch .—Bill slender, attenuated, but depressed at the base; nearly as long as the head, distinctly notched at the tip, and 
provided with moderate rietal bristles. Nostrils rather elongated, not concealed, but anterior to the frontal feathers. Tarsi 
longer than the middle toe, distinctly scutellate ; the toes small; the hinder one scarcely longer than the lateral ; its claw 
scarcely longer than the middle. Outer lateral toe longer than the inner. First primary about one-third the longest; second 
equal to the seventh. Tail a little longer than the wings, moderately graduated ; the feathers rounded. 
The species all lead color above ; white beneath, and to a greater or less extent on the exterior of the tail, the rest of which 
is black. Size very small. 
Two species of this interesting genus are now known to belong to the United States in 
addition to the one described by Wilson and Audubon. 
Synopsis of species. 
Two outer tail feathers entirely white. A narrow frontal line, extending back over the eye, 
black... P. caerulea. 
Outer tail feather, with the whole of the outer web (only) white. No black on the forehead, 
but a stripe over the eye above one of whitish. P. plumbea. 
Edge only of outer web of outer tail feather white. Entire top of head from the bill black. 
P. melanura. 
