Avifauna of Italy. 195 



our collection possesses a fine adult male shot on the 2nd of 

 February 1878, near Nice. 



LopHOPHANEs CRisTATUs (Linn.). 



According to my experience, this is a strictly alpine bird 

 in Italy ; and the specimens I have came from Nice and Domo- 

 dossola ; I was therefore rather surprised to find a specimen 

 in the University Museum at Naples said to have been shot 

 in that neighbourhood. 



SiTTA NEUMAYERI, Michall. 



Including, as I now do, the whole Dalmatian coast as far 

 as Budua in the Italian zoological subregion, I must add this 

 interesting species to our ornis. I found it pretty abundant 

 along the precipitous rocks between Ragusa and Breno in 

 October 1879, and was able to secure eight specimens. 



Certhia familiaris, Linn. 



Typical specimens of the northern Creeper are only found 

 with us in the Alps ; and I have received a series from Domo- 

 dossola, in all of which the distinctive characters in oppo- 

 sition to those of the following species hold good, viz. larger 

 size, lighter coloration on the upper parts, pure white be- 

 neath, shorter bill, and a much longer claw to the hallux. 



Certhia brachydactyla, Brehm. 



This is our common form all over Italy ; it is constantly a 

 smaller bird than the alpine one, with darker upper parts, the 

 white of the underparts more or less tinged with buff, a longer 

 bill, and the claw of the hallux considerably shorter. I shall 

 continue to gather data on the subject; but for the present I 

 believe I am warranted in keeping these two forms distinct. I 

 see that Mr. Dresser has very exceptional synthetic opinions 

 regarding the Palaearctic and Nearctic Certhia; but such 

 views are rare with him, as may be seen in the case of the 

 following species. 



CiNCLUs AQUATicus, Bechst. 



The European Dippers have been divided into no less than 

 three distinct species — C. aquaticus, C. melanogaster, and C. 

 albicollis ; and, as I have recently shown in the eighth part 



