S1TTA. 121 



which has no visible link with any of the other families of Passeres 

 in the area we cover, whilst the Timaliidcv are another development 

 in a different direction. 



In this family the edges of the upper mandible are smooth, or 

 the upper one simply notched; the hinder aspect of the tarsus 

 smooth, composed of two entire longitudinal laminae and other 

 features as already given in the key to the Families. The nostrils 

 are overhung by some hairs and the rictal bristles are present ; the 

 feet are very strongly developed for the purpose of climbing, the 

 hind toe and claw are very powerful and the inner toe and claw 

 dwarfed ; the bill is about as long as the head, fairly stout and 

 straight. The wing is long and pointed and the first primary is 

 always less than half the second. The tail is short and square 

 or very slightly rounded. The sexes are dissimilar. 



Only one genus of Nuthatch, Sitta, is found within our limits. 

 The little Velvet-fronted Nuthatch is sometimes separated under 

 the name Dendrophila but without any very apparent reason or 

 necessity. I follow Gates in uniting them all under one name. 



Genus SITTA Linn., 1766. 

 The characters of the genus are those of the family. 



Key to Species and Subspecies. 

 A. Upper plumage uniform bluish grey. 



a. Middle pair of tail-feathers white at base. 

 '. Sides of neck and lower plumage chest- 

 nut 6'. himalayensis, p. 122. 



b'. Sides of neck white, marked with 

 golden chestnut; chin, throat and 



upper breast white S. victoria, p. 123. 



l>. Middle pair of tail-feathers uniform, with 



no white. 



c'. Lateral tail-feathers with white spots. 

 a". Under tail-coverts chestnut, centred 



ashy. 

 a'". Lower plumage paler ; wing over 



80 mm S. kashmiriensis, p. 128. 



b'". Lower plumage darker; wing 



under 80 mm S. castaneiventris casta- 



b". Under tail-coverts white, tipped neiventris, p. 123. 



chestnut. 

 c". Lower plumage chestnut. 



a 1 . Chestnut of lower plumage [p. 125. 



uniform from throat to vent . . S. c. cinnamoventris, 

 b l . Throat and breast paler than 



rest of lower plumage S. c. neylecta, p. 120. 



d'". Lower plumage grey S. europcca nayaensis, 



c". Under tail-coverts chestnut, tipped [p.* 127. 



white S. mayna, p. 128. 



(/'.Lateral tail-feathers without white [p. 129. 



spots S. neumayer tephronota, 



