214 a practical handbook of british birds. 



Family CERTHIID.^. 



Small birds M'ith curved bills, as long as or longer than head. 

 Nostrils near base, protected by membrane, but free of feathers or 

 bristles. Rictal bristles obsolete. Tarsus short, either scutellate 

 or " booted," i.e. with an unbroken lamina. Lateral toes very 

 unequal in length, outer toe always decidedly longer than inner, 

 but shorter than middle toe. Claws large, curved, that of hind toe 

 as long as or longer than its digit. Primaries ten ; 1st less than 

 half 2nd, 3rd and 4th or 4th and 5th longest. Tail-feathers twelve. 

 Five genera in Europe and Asia to Australia, Africa and North 

 America, 



Key to genera of family Certhiid.e. 



Tail equal to or longer than wing, graduated rectrices 



rigid and pointed at tip Certhia, p. 214 



Tail shorter than wing, even, rectrices broad, soft, 



ro landed at tip Tichodroma, -p. 218 



Genus CERTHIA L. 



Certhia Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 118 (1758 — Type by subsequent 

 designation and elimination : C. jamiliaris L.). 



Small, broAvnish, streaked birds, generally seen climbing up 

 Irunks and branches of trees. Bill laterally compressed, culmen 

 ending in acute point, nostrils longitudinal, exposed. Tongue long, 

 narrow, corneous, terminating in about five bristles. Wing rounded, 

 4th and 5th primaries longest, 6th scarcely shorter, 2nd much 

 shorter than 3rd and between 7th and 8th, 1st somewhat less than 

 half 2nd. Tail distinctly gi-aduated, rectrices with rigid and 

 acuminate tips. Tarsus distinctly scutellate. Plumage rich, long 

 and soft. Sexes alike in colour, young of more spotted appearance, 

 but almost same colours. One moult. Non-migratory. More 

 northern portions of northern hemisphere, in America south to 

 Nicaragua, in xlfrica to Atlas mountains, in Asia to Burma. Five 

 species, about thirty subspecies. 



CERTHIA FAMILIARIS 



87. Certhia familiaris brittanica RidgAV. — THE BRITISH 

 TREE-CREEPER. 



Certhia brittanica Ridgway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., v, p. 113 (1882— 



England). 



Certhia familiaris Linnaeus, Yarrell, i, p. 468 : Saunders, p. 117 ; Certhia 



f. brittanica Ridgw., Hartert, Brit. B., i, p. 218. 



Description. — Adtilt male and female. Winter. — Fore-head, crown 

 and nape deep broAvn, much streaked pale rufous -brown or whitish ; 



