SITTA. 131 



Measurements. Total length about 140 mm. ; wing 74 to 79 mm.; 

 tail about 42 mm. ; tarsus about 18 mm. ; culmen about 15 mm. 



Distribution. The whole of the ISTorth-West Himalayas from 

 the Baluchistau boundaries where well forested, Afghanistan, 

 N. Kashmir to the hills next the plains as far as the pines 

 continue and as Far east as Grarhwal. 



Nidification. This Nuthatch breeds freely throughout its range. 

 Eattray took many nests in the Murree Hills in June, and says 

 that a favourite site is high up in a tall lir-tree that has been 

 struck by lightning and cracked down the centre, a convenient 

 place in this crack being selected for the nest. They lay from 

 four to eight eggs, which are just like those of the various forms 

 of Chestnut- bellied Nuthatches and measux'e on an average for 

 50 eggs about 18-2 x 13'7 mm. The nest is ditiicult to find, 

 both from its position and the cautious habits of the birds. 



Habits. This is a bird of high elevations, being found princi- 

 pally between 7,0u0and 12,000 feet and, according to Eattray and 

 ■others, seldom below 8,000 feet. Its range, however, seems to 

 be decided by the forest growth and it will not frequently be 

 found outside the regions of firs, pines and other coniferous 

 trees. Stoliczka says that it feeds principally on the seeds of 

 Pinus gii'ardiana and that its voice is a loud, uniform, melan- 

 choly call, uttered while it is busily engaged in securing a pine- 

 seed in the bark of a large tree. AVhitehead likens its call to the 

 Frencii word " pain," and lie and Davidson both say that the 

 monotonous, wailing cry is to be heard in the forests all day 

 ilong. 



(118) Sitta formosa. 

 The Beautiful Nuthatch. 



Sitta formosa Blvth, J. A- S. B., xii, p. 938 (184.3) (I)arjiling); 

 Blaiif. & Oates,"i, p. 306. 



Vernacular names. Dao-mojo-cjadeha (Cachari) ; Tishe Kuyi 

 gumho (Lepcha). 



Description. Upper plumage black, streaked with pale blue on 

 the upper back and the sides of the neck and with brilliant 

 cobalt-blue elsewhere; sides of the head and chin fulvous white, 

 the featiiers round tlie eye and over the ear-coverts blackish at 

 their bases ; lesser wing-coverts, primary-coverts, primaries and 

 secondaries bright blue ; edges of the median and greater coverts 

 <ind of the inner secondaries white; remainder of wing blue; 

 scapulars, louer back and rump verdigris-blue; central tail- 

 feathers blue with black bases and black next the shafts ; the next 

 two pairs black edged with blue ; the others black with pro- 

 gressively larger white tips, blue-edged on the exterior margins; 

 lower plumage dull chestnut. 



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