428 CERTHIID®. 
Family CERTHIID. 
The intrinsic muscles of the syrinx fixed to the ends of the 
bronchial semi-rings; the edges of both mandibles smooth or 
with a simple notch on the upper one; hinder aspect of the tarsus 
bilaminated, the lamin 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 
Jong or rather long and pointed and the tarsus is very short, the 
feet being unusually large and strong with long powerful toes 
and claws. 
Whereas most authors have given the Certhiide, or Tree- 
Creepers, a definite family by themselves, others have united them 
with the Troglodytide or Wrens, whilst others again have united 
the latter with the Vimaliide or Turdide. 
Undoubtedly the Wrens and the Certhiide are very 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 Certhizde together with their 
short tarsi seem to separate them sufficiently distinctly from the 
short, rounded winged Yroglodytide with their much longer tarsi. 
The Certhide 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. 
Key to Genera. 
A. Tail composed of stiff, pointed feathers .... CERTHTIA, p. 428. 
B. Tail composed of soft, rounded feathers. 
a. First primary not more than a quarter the 
length: of the second: (5 (147 ramen ery. of ye: SALPORNIS, p. 489. 
b, First primary about half the length of the 
SECON  ocars os aiese ss aie Ole ates oe Ae rae Oe TicHopnoma, p. 44]. 
Genus CERTHIA Linn., 1766. 
The genus Certhia 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. himalayana had both a spring and autumn moult 
being undoubtedly incorrect. 
