390 EEVIEW OF JAPANESE BIRDS. 



particularly their smaller and slenderer bill, and the greater straight- 

 ness of the culmen. The eastern species he divides into three different 

 forms : 



(1) Sitta laicalcnsis Taczan., similar in coloration to S. europcea, having the flanks 



stronglj' marked with deep chestnut brown ; from the surroundings of Irkutsk, 

 Lake Baikal, and Dauria. 



(2) Sitta amuremsis Swinh., distinguished from the foregoing form by the ochraceous 



color occupying the whole surface of the abdomen in strong contrast with the 

 pure and silky white of the breast and fore neck ; it occni s from Amur through- 

 out Ussuri aud Northern China. 



(3) Sitta albifrons Taczan., characterized by a white forehead, a broad white super 



ciliary stripe, a white band across the wing ; by the flanks being pure white 

 with hardly any trace of chestnut ; and by the greater extent of tiie white spot 

 on the tail ; this form inhabits the peninsula of Kamtschatka. 



As already intimated, the Hondo Nuthatch agrees with typical iS. 

 amurensis. The Yesso bird, on the other hand, does not agree with ;8^. 

 haicalensis, nor with S. albifrons. It lacks the chestnut flanks of the 

 former, but has instead a faint ochraceous tinge on the abdomen and 

 flanks, and there are only faint i^idicatious of the positive characters 

 distinctive of its Kamtschatkan relative. 1 have, therefore, concluded 

 to give it a separate name, in order to better keep these nearly allied forms 

 apart. Finally, I have before me a specimen from the "Kuril Islands," 

 which in all essential features is a pretty typical S. albifrons Taczan. 

 Further remarks are to be found later on under the heading of each 

 sei^arate form. Those occurring in Japan may be distinguished by the 

 following 



SYNOPSIS. 

 a^ Flanks tinged with buff. 



6' Flanks rufescent buff with a strongly marked chestnut patch ; buff extending to 



the lower breast S. amurensis. 



1)^ Flanks pale creamy buff, without a distinct chestnut patch : buff' not extending 



1 eyond the abdomen 5. a. clara. 



a^ Flanks white S. a. albifrons. 



From the measurements to be given further on, it will be seen that 

 the three Japanese forms do not differ materially inter se. Another 

 character which they seem to possess in common is that all the superfi- 

 cial frontal feathers which are directed forward and conceal the nostrils 

 are white, even in the southern examples. 



(222 jja;/.) Sitta amurensis Swinh. 

 Hondo Nuthatch. Ki-mawari. 



1850. — f f Sitta roseilia Bonaparte, Consp. Av., i, p. 227. 

 1871. — Sitta amurensis Swiniioe, P. Z. S., 1871, p. 350.— Seebohm, Brit. B. Eggs, i, p. 



525 (1883).— Blakist., Amend. List B. Jap., ]> 5i (^1884). 

 1878. — Sitta europa'a Blakiston & Pryer, Ibis, 1878, p. iSa (part) (wee Linn.). — lid. 



Tr. As. Soc. Jap., viii, 1880, p. 219 (/jarO-— Blakist., Curysanth., Feb., 



1883, p. — .— JouY, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus., vi, 1883, p. 287. 

 1882, — Sitia, europa'a subsp, uralensis Blakiston & Pryer, Tr, As. Soc. Jap., x, 



1882, p. 152 (part). — Blakist., Am. List B, Jap., p. 51 (jyart) (1884). 



Tliis Ibrm may, or may not, be Bonaparte's Sitta roseilia. He only 

 gives the following description: ''■ S. roseilia., Bp. ex Japonia. iSubtus 



