522 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Genus SITTA. 



The genus Sitta was defined in 1766 by Linnseus in the twelfth edition of 

 his ' Systema Naturae/ i. p. 177. Sitta europaa must be accepted as the 

 type, though it is not the Sitta sitta of Brisson, a bird with which Linnaeus 

 was unacquainted. But since S. europaa and S. casia are only climatic 

 races of one species, it is of no consequence. 



The Nuthatches are aberrant members of the subfamily Parinae, and 

 may be distinguished by their large, straight, conical "Woodpecker-like 

 bills. The wing is typical, with a small bastard primary. The tail is 

 short and even, like that of the Wren. The tarsus is scutellated, and the 

 feet are very large. 



The geographical distribution of this genus ranges throughout the 

 Palsearctic Region south of the Arctic circle, the Oriental Region, the 

 Nearctic Region south of about lat. 54, and extends into the extreme 

 north of the Neotropical Region. There are nearly twenty species in 

 the genus ; but only two are found in Europe, and one of these may be 

 subdivided into several climatic races, of which one is a resident in our 

 islands. 



The Nuthatches are both insectivorous and graminivorous. In their 

 habits they resemble the Woodpeckers and the Creepers more than the 

 true Tits. Some of the species build mud nests on the rocks, whilst others 

 build in holes in trees, plastering the entrance only with mud. The eggs 

 are white spotted with red. 



