SALPORNI3. 439 



Genus SALPORNIS Gray, 1847. 



The genus Salpornis coutaing two species, one Indian and the 

 other African. It diifers from Oerthia in many remarkable 

 respects, although bearing a great general resemblance to it. It 

 has an extremely long, pointed wing, with a minute first primary, 

 whilst the second primary reaches to the end of the wing. The 

 foot, also, is differently shaped. 



Fig. 85, — Foot of Salpo)-}iis. 



Salpornis has a typical Certhia's bill, though it is longer than it 

 is in most birds of that genus ; the tarsus is short and the hind 

 claw is much shorter tlian the hind toe. The tail is composed of 

 12 soft, rounded feathers and is nearly square. 

 - The sexes are alike and the young are similar to the adult. 

 There is apparently no spring moult, 



(456) Salpornis spilonotus. 



The Spotted-Grey Creeper. 



Certhia spilonota Frankl., P. Z. S., 1831, p. 121 (Ganges between 



Calcutta aud l^enares). 

 Salpornis spilmiota. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 3.33. 



Vernacular names. jS'one recorded. 



Fig. 86. — Head of ^S*. spilonotus. 



Description. Whole upper plumage, wings and tail black, spotted 

 and barred with white ; forehead and crown brownish ; a broad 

 white supercilium ; lores aud a line through the eye unspotted 

 black ; chiu and throat white, the sides of the latter sometimes 

 speckled with black ; lower plumage pale cinnamon-fulvous barred 

 with black and with white tips to some of the feathers. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris dark brown ; bill above dark blackish 

 horny, below pale horny ; legs aud feet dark plumbeous. 



