Ægithaliscus, Cabanis, Museum Heineanum, 1851, 90. (Type, Parus erythrocephalus.)
Psaltria, Cassin, Ill. N. Am. Birds, 1853, 19.
Gen. Char. Size very small and slender. Bill very small, short, compressed, and with its upper outline much curved for the terminal half. Upper mandible much deeper than under. Tail long, slender, much graduated; much longer than the wings; the feathers very narrow. Tarsi considerably longer than the middle toe. No black on the
crown or throat. Eyes white in some specimens, brown in others. Nest purse-shaped; eggs unspotted, white.
No bird of this genus belongs to the eastern portion of the United States. The three species may be defined as follows:—
A. Head striped with black on the sides.
P. melanotis. The stripes passing under the eye and uniting on the occiput. Hab. Eastern Mexico
B. No stripes on the head.
P. minimus. Back ashy; crown light brown. Hab. Pacific Province of United States … var. minimus.
Back and crown uniform ashy. Hab. Middle Province and southern Rocky Mountains of United States … var. plumbeus.