15. Tits (Paridae). These little birds are always pretty, and many (especially among the Indian species) are very conspicuous. They always have the sexes alike, a circumstance very unusual among the smaller gaily-coloured birds of our own country. The nest is always covered over or concealed in a hole. 16. Nuthatches (Sitta). Often very pretty birds, the sexes alike, and the nest in a hole. 17.---- (Sittella). The female of these Australian nuthatches is often the most conspicuous, being white-and black-marked. The nest is, according to Gould, "completely concealed among upright twigs connected together." 18. Creepers (Climacteris). In these Australian creepers the sexes are alike, or the female most conspicuous, and the nest is in a hole of a tree. 19. Estrelda, Amadina. In these genera of Eastern and Australian finches the females, although more or less different from the males, are still very conspicuous having a red rump, or being white spotted. They differ from most others of the family in building domed nests. 20. Certhiola. In these pretty little American creepers the sexes are alike, and they build a domed nest. 21. Mynahs (Sturnidae). These showy Eastern starlings have the sexes exactly alike. They build in holes of trees. 22. Calornis (Sturnidae). These brilliant metallic starlings have no sexual differences. They build a pensile covered nest. 23. Hangnests (Icteridae). The red or yellow and black plumage of most of these birds is very conspicuous, and is exactly alike in both sexes. They are celebrated for their fine purse-shaped pensile nests. It will be seen that this list comprehends six important families of Fissirostres, four of Scansores, the Psittaci, and several genera, with three entire families of Passeres, comprising about twelve hundred species, or about one-seventh of all known birds. * * * * * The cases in which, whenever the male is gaily coloured, the female is much less gay or quite inconspicuous, are exceedingly numerous, comprising, in fact, almost all the bright-coloured Passeres, except those enumerated in the preceding class. The following are the most remarkable:-- 1. Chatterers (Cotingidae). These comprise some of the most gorgeous birds in the world, vivid blues, rich purples, and bright reds, being the most characteristic colours. The females are always obscurely tinted, and are often of a greenish hue, not easily visible among the foliage. 2. Manakins (Pipridae). These elegant birds, whose caps or crests are of the most brilliant colours, are usually of a sombre green in the female sex. 3. Tanagers (Tanagridae). These rival the chatterers in the brilliancy of their colours, and are even more varied. The females are generally of plain and sombre hues, and always less conspicuous than the males.