Key to Genera.
| A. |
Tail slightly rounded.
|
| a. |
Head not crested.
|
| a'. |
Outermost tail-feathers falling short of the tip of the tail by length of hind claw only
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
Parus, p. 73. |
| b'. |
Outermost tail-feathers falling short of the tip by length of hind toe and claw
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
Egithaliscus, p. 93. |
| b. |
Head crested.
|
| c'. |
Wing never as much as 90 mm.
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
Machlolophus, p. 89. |
| d'. |
Wing never as short as 100 mm.
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
Melanochlora, p. 101. |
| B. |
Tail square or very slightly forked.
|
| c. |
Head crested
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
Lophophanes, p. 83 |
| d. |
Head not crested.
|
| e'. |
Plumage above yellowish green
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
Sylviparus, p. 88. |
| f'. |
No green on upper plumage
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
Remiz, p. 100. |
Genus PARUS Linn., 1766.
The genus Parus, of which the Great Tit of England may be considered the type, contains those Tits which are not crested and in which the tail is slightly rounded. They have a broad, black, ventral band and in this character agree with Machlolophus, which, however, possesses a long pointed crest.
The true Tits are found over a considerable portion of the world. Five species inhabit the Indian Empire, two being found over the greater part of Europe and Asia, i.e. major and palustris; two, nuchalis and monticolus, being local; and the fifth, cyanus, a very rare visitor.
In Parus the feathers of the crown are rather long, but do not form a crest; the tail is considerably shorter than the wing, and the outer feathers are shorter than the central ones by about the length of the hind claw.
Key to Species.
| A. |
Plumage not blue and white.
|
| a. |
Lower plumage whitish buff, or fawn, but not bright yellow.
|
| a'. |
Back and rump ashy or greenish
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
P. major, p. 73. |
| b'. |
Back and rump black
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
P. nuchalis, p. 79. |
| c'. |
Back and rump olive-brown
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
P. palustris, p. 81. |
| b. |
Lower plumage bright yellow
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
P. monticolus, p. 80. |
| B. |
Plumage all blue and white above
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
P. cyanus, p. 81. |
Parus major.
The Great-Tits or Grey-Tits may be divided into two groups—the first group with green backs and yellow under parts, the second with grey backs and the under parts ranging from practically pure white to fawn or buff.
The first group, that of the true Parus major, ranges over the whole of Europe, extreme Northern Africa and Northern Asia to
