428 CERTHIID.^;. 



Family CERTHIID.E. 



The intrinsic muscles of the syrinx fixed to the ends of the 

 bronchial semi-rings ; the edges of botli mandibles smooth or 

 with a simple notch on the upper one ; liinder aspect of the tarsus 

 bilaminated, the laminae entire and smooth ; wing with ten pri- 

 maries and tail with twelve rectrices!; tongue non-tubular; nostrils 

 clear of the line of forehead, the space between the nostril and 

 the edge of the mandibles less than the space between the nostril 

 and the culmen ; plumage of the young like the adult female, but 

 paler; nostrils bare ; rictal bristles absent ; the wing is generally 

 long or rather long and pointed and the tarsus is very ^hort, the 

 feet being unusually large and strong with long powerful loes 

 and claws. 



Whereas most authors have given the Certhiidce, or Tree- 

 Creepers, a definite family by themselves, others have united them 

 with the Troglodi/tido' or Wrens, whilst others again have united 

 the latter with the Timaliidce or Turdida'. 



Undoubtedly the Wrens and the Certhiidce are A'ery closely 

 allied, their strong feet and the entire absence of rictal bristles 

 being the most conspicuous characters held in common. On the 

 other hand, the longer wings of the CertJdidce together with their 

 short tarsi seem to separate them sufficiently distinctly from the 

 short, rounded winged Troghdytidoi with their much longer tarsi. 



The Certhiidce are found over a considerable portion of the 

 world and are represented in India by three genera ; of these 

 one possesses the typical stiff, pointed tail-feathers and two have 

 soft, rounded tail-feathers as in the Wrens. 



Keij to Genera. 



A. Tail composed of stiff, pointed feathers .... Certhia, p. 428. 



B. Tail composed of soft, rounded feathers. 



a. First ])riuiary not more tbau a quarter the 



length of the second Salpoknis, p. 439. 



b. First primary about half the length of the 



second Ticuodjioma, p. 441 . 



Genus CEETHIA Linn., 176(3. 



The genus Certliia contains four Indian species which are, 

 however, divisible into many geographical races. They are 

 resident, in the Himalayas and higher hills of Burma, moving 

 vertically to some extent under varying conditions of temperature. 



Certhia has only a single moult, in the autumn, Biddulph's 

 opinion that C. himalcvjann had both a spring and autunni moult 

 being undoubtedly incorrect. 



