PASSERINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 61 



Nuthatches are of nou-inigratory habits. Tliey feed both 

 on nuts and insects, and nest in holes of trees or of rocks. 

 Only one si^ecies is found in Ceylon. 



SiTTA FRONTALIS FRONTALIS. 



The Velvet-fronted Blue Nuthatch. 



Sitta frontalis (Oates, Vol. I., p. 307) ; Dendrophila frontalis 

 (Legge, p. 560). 



Deficriptioii. — Male : Lores, a broad band across the fore- 

 head and a long streak over the eye to the nape deep velvet 

 black ; upper plumage and wing coverts deep lavender-blue ; 

 wing quills dull black, the first two primaries unmarked, the 

 outer webs of the remaining primaries edged with light blue, 

 the secondaries edged with the blue of the back, the tertiaries 

 almost entirely blue ; the middle feathers of the tail blue, 

 the remainder dull black, edged and tipped with blue ; ear 

 coverts lilac ; chin and throat whitish ; the rest of the lower 

 parts brownish -lilac. 



Females have no black eyebrow streak, and the lores are 

 generally washed with blue. 



Bill coral red, the tip of the upper mandible blackish ; 

 iris yellow ; eyelids lead colour ; legs and feet brownish. 



Length 5 ; wing 3 ; tail 1-8; tarsus *7 ; bill from gape '7. 



Distribution. — Found throughout the hills and in the tall 

 forests of the low-country. It occurs in one form or another 

 throughout the greater part of India, and extends through 

 Burma to Java. 



Habits. — A dainty little bird, which attracts notice by its 

 velvety blue plumage and vivid red bill. It is generally 

 found in small troops, actively running up and down or round 

 and round tree trunks and large boughs. It never remains 

 long on one tree, and when descending it always proceeds 

 head first. The cry is a sharp little " chick, chick, chick." 

 The breeding season aj)pears to be from February to May. 

 The nest is a small pad of feathers, moss, and hair in a tiny 

 hole in a tree. The four eggs are white spotted with red, and 

 measure about "7 by '56. The birds when approaching the 

 nest hole generally alight above it and run down into it. 



