340 CERTHIIBiE. 



The female has the head and sides of the neck browni instead of 

 sooty black. 



Total length between 5 and 6 inches. The bills vary considerably 

 in length, breadth at base, and in slenderness. 



Oulmen. Wing. Tail. Tarsus, 



in. in. in. in. 



c? from Dinagat 075 3-0 1-65 0-75 



2 „ Manila 0-95 3-10 1-86 0-80 



2 „ „ 0-88 3-20 1-80 0-80 



Hab. Philippine Islands : Mindanao, Dinagat, and Luzon. 



a. 2 ad. St. Philippine Islands. Purchased. 



b. S ad. sk. Phihppine Islands. Hugh Cuming, Esq. [O.J. 



c. 2 ad. sk. Manila. Gould Collection. 



d. c? ad. sk. Dinagat, June 1877. A. Everett, Esq. [C.]. 



Subfamily II. SITTING. 



Bill straight and subulate, never curved downwards, slightly 

 longer than rest of the head, never toothed, but often slightly 

 notched. Nostrils in a coriaceous groove, either without any opercu- 

 lum and then partly hidden by small bristles and feathers, or oper- 

 culated and quite exposed. Wings long and pointed, double the 

 length of the tail ; first primary short ; secondaries and wing- 

 coverts short. Tail rounded or square, short. Tarsi short, anteriorly 

 covered with transverse scales ; hallux with claw longer than the 

 middle toe and longer than the tarsus ; claws long, curved and 

 sharp. Sexes alike or slightly differing in plumage. Red, green, 

 and bright yellow colours do not occur. They lay many eggs, and 

 breed in holes. They feed principally on insects. 



Range. All over the world, excepting the Neotropical and Ethio- 

 pian regions. 



Key to the Genera. 



Nostrils without any cutaneous operculum, but 



covered with feathers, ^ih straight. Hab. 



Europe, America, Asia 5. Sitta, p. 341. 



Bill curved upwards ; nostrils with a cutaneous 



valve. Hab. Australia 6. Sittella, p. 360. 



Nostrils uon-operculated. Bill broader than high 



across the nostrils. Strong rictal bristles 7. HTPOSiTTA,p.365. 



