which has no visible link with any of the other families of Passeres in the area we cover, whilst the Timaliidæ are another development in a different direction.
In this family the edges of the upper mandible are smooth, or the upper one simply notched; the hinder aspect of the tarsus smooth, composed of two entire longitudinal laminae and other features as already given in the key to the Families. The nostrils are overhung by some hairs and the rictal bristles are present; the feet are very strongly developed for the purpose of climbing, the hind toe and claw are very powerful and the inner toe and claw dwarfed; the bill is about as long as the head, fairly stout and straight. The wing is long and pointed and the first primary is always less than half the second. The tail is short and square or very slightly rounded. The sexes are dissimilar.
Only one genus of Nuthatch, Sitta, is found within our limits. The little Velvet-fronted Nuthatch is sometimes separated under the name Dendrophila but without any very apparent reason or necessity. I follow Oates in uniting them all under one name.
Genus SITTA Linn., 1766.
The characters of the genus are those of the family.
Key to Species and Subspecies.
| A. |
Upper plumage uniform bluish grey.
|
| a. |
Middle pair of tail-feathers white at base.
|
| a'. |
Sides of neck and lower plumage chestnut
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
S. himalayensis, p. 122. |
| b'. |
Sides of neck white, marked with golden chestnut; chin, throat and upper breast white
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
S. victoriæ, p. 123. |
| b. |
Middle pair of tail-feathers uniform, with no white.
|
| c'. |
Lateral tail-feathers with white spots.
|
| a''. |
Under tail-coverts chestnut, centred ashy.
|
| a'''. |
Lower plumage paler; wing over 80 mm.
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
S. kashmiriensis, p. 128. |
| b'''. |
Lower plumage darker; wing under 80 mm.
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
S. castaneiventris castaneiventris, p. 123. |
| b''. |
Under tail-coverts white, tipped chestnut.
|
| c'''. |
Lower plumage chestnut.
|
| a4. |
Chestnut of lower plumage uniform from throat to vent
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
S. c. cinnamoventris, p. 125. |
| b4. |
Throat and breast paler than rest of lower plumage
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
S. c. neglecta, p. 120. |
| d'''. |
Lower plumage grey
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
S. europæa nagaensis, p. 127. |
| c''. |
Under tail-coverts chestnut, tipped white
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
S. magna, p. 128. |
| d'. |
Lateral tail-feathers without white spots
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
S. neumayer tephronota, p. 129. |
