60 SITTIDZ. 
S. magna, a giant amongst the rest. Though allied to the Paride, the Nuthatches 
have sufficient differences of bill, feet, and general shape to justify their being placed 
in a separate family. Dr. Coues has described these points very fully in his ‘ Birds 
of the Colorado Valley,’ where also a good account will be found of the habits of 
several American species. 
1. Sitta aculeata, 
Siita aculeata, Cass. Pr. Ac. Phil. viii. p. 254!; Baird, Rev. Am. B. p. 86%. 
Sitta carolinensis, Scl. P. Z. 8S. 1856, p. 293°, 1858, p. 800*, 1859, pp. 863°, 873° (nec Latham). 
Sitta carolinensis (vel aculeata), Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p. 5447. 
Sitia carolinensis, var. aculeata, Baird, Brew. & Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. p. 117°. 
Siita carolinensis aculeata, Coues, B. Col. Vall. i. p. 184°. 
Supra cxruleo-plumbea, pileo toto cum nucha sericeo-nigris, superciliis et capitis lateribus cum gula albis, 
corpore subtus fusco-albido, tibiis et crisso castaneis ; caudee rectricibus mediis dorso concoloribus, reliquis 
nigris, extimis utrinque pogonio externo (preter apicem) albis, his et duabus rectricibus utrinque proximis 
apicem versus albo maculatis; alis fusco-nigris, primariis intus ad basin albis, subalaribus nigerrimis ; 
rostro obscure plumbeo, maxilla ad basin pallide corneo; pedibus corylinis. Long. tota 5:2, alex 3:6, 
caude: 1-9, rostri a rictu 0°85, tarsi 0°75. (Descr. exempl. ex Jalapa, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Western and middle provinces of Norra America’.—Mexico (Sallé*), La 
Parada * and Cinco Sefiores 4 (Boucard), Jalapa (de Oca®), Tierra fria (le Strange), 
Moyoapam and Popocatepetl (Swmichrast). 
Mexican specimens of this Nuthatch belong to the western form of Sitta carolinensis 
(which Cassin distinguished by the name S. aculeata), rather than to the eastern bird. 
The difference, however, between the two is very slight, consisting chiefly in the 
western bird having a much slenderer bill, and in the spots on the tertial feathers being 
obsolete instead of well defined. Though granted full specific rank by Cassin}, and by 
Prot. Baird in his ‘ Review’, S. aculeata has since been placed as a “variety” or race 
of S. carolinensis by writers on North-American birds®®. The relationship between 
the two is undoubtedly close; but, we believe, intermediate links have not yet been 
discovered connecting them. Anyhow, the position of the Mexican bird, with reference 
to those of the north, is best shown by calling it Sitta aculeata. In Mexico a certain 
amount of variation exists between birds of different localities, Mr. Sclater having 
shown ° that Oaxaca specimens are smaller in all their dimensions than those from Vera 
Cruz; but all possess the attenuated bill of S. aculeata; and therefore the generally 
smaller size of Oaxaca birds is, perhaps, of not much significance. This Nuthatch 
would appear to be an inhabitant of the higher pine-forests of Southern Mexico, having 
been obtained by Prof. Sumichrast at Moyoapam at an elevation of 8200 feet, and 
at a great height on the sides of the volcano of Popocatepetl 7. 
2. Sitta pygmea. 
Stita pygmea, Vig. Zool. Voy. Blossom, p. 25, t. 4. f. 2"; Scl. P.Z.S. 1859, p. 863’; Baird, Rev. 
