4G 



SITTA. NUTHATCH. 



Bill of moderate length, straight, slender but strong, some- 

 what conical, slightly higher than broad, pentagonal at the 

 base, four-sided toward the end, with the ])oint sharp, or some- 

 what wedge-shaped from use ; upper mandible with its dorsal 

 outline very slightly arcuato-declinate or nearly straight, the 

 ridge rather obtuse, the sides sloping, a little convex toward 

 the end, the edges sharp, sloping outwards and overlapping, 

 the point narrow, acute, or blunted, somewhat depressed, 

 without notch or sinus ; lower mandible with the angle rather 

 short and of moderate width, the dorsal outline ascending and 

 slightly convex, the sides sloping outwards and flat at the base, 

 convex towards the end, the edges thin and directed outwards, 

 the tip acute ; the gape-line straight. 



The mouth narrow ; the upper mandible slightly concave 

 internally, with three parallel central prominent lines, and two 

 lateral grooves ; the lower moderately concave, with a strong 

 central prominent line. Nostrils oblong, in the fore-part of the 

 short nasal membrane, which is feathered. Eyes rather small ; 

 eyelids feathered. External aperture of ear large and roundish. 



The general form is short and robust ; the body and neck 

 very short ; the head ovate, rather large. The feet rather 

 short and strong ; tarsus very short, compressed, with seven 

 very broad anterior scutella, sharp behind ; toes large, much 

 compressed ; the first, with its claw, longer than the tarsus or 

 the middle toe, the three anterior united at the base as far as 

 the second joint, the fourth longer than the second. Claws long, 

 much arched, extremely compressed, high, laterally grooved, 

 very acute. 



The plumage soft and blended, the feathers ovate, those of 

 the back elongated, about the base of the bill short and bristle- 

 tipped ; but there are no bristle-feathers. Wings long, very 

 broad, rounded ; quills nineteen ; the first very small, being 



