428 CEBTHIID^E. 



Family CERTHIID.E. 



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 laminae 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 

 long or rather long and pointed and the tarsus is very ^hort, the 

 feet being unusually large and strong with long powerful toes 

 and claws. 



Whereas most authors have given the Certhiidce, or Tree- 

 Creepers, a definite family by themselves, others have united them 

 with the Troyloih/tidce or Wrens, whilst others again have united 

 the latter with the Timaliidce or Turdidce. 



Undoubtedly the Wrens and the Certhiidce 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 Certhiidce together with 1 heir 

 short, tarsi seem to separate them sufficiently distinctly from the 

 short, rounded winged Troglodytidce with their much longer tarsi. 



The Certliiidm 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 d'enera. 



A. Tail composed of stiff, pointed feathers .... CKKTHIA, p. 428. 



B. Tail composed of soft, rounded feathers. 



a. First primary not more than a quarter the 



length of the second SALPOBNIS, p. 439. 



b. First primary about half the length of the 



second TICHODCOMA, p. 441 . 



Genus CERTHIA Linn., 1760. 



The genus C'erthia 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. Idmalayana had both a spring and autumn moult 

 being undoubtedly incorrect. 



